Stronger Than Pride
by Kayla2
Summary: Sequel to Accidentally In Love. Jason and Alexis's marriage faces the challenges of friendships with Sonny and Claudia and surviving the consequences of what initially brought them together.
1. Chapter 1

Stronger Than Pride - Chapter 1

Tonight was Thursday and Thursday nights in the Morgan household were reserved for date night. This was mostly at Alexis's request. She decided that although she and Jason both admitted they were in love, which terrified her, they needed to get to know each other better.

In her head, she practiced all the arguments for reserving a night for themselves, without the kids. Although they had known each other for more than 10 years, they had been at odds for large chunks of that time. Even during their friendly spells, they were never intimate friends, not friends who discussed hopes and dreams, not friends like she and Sonny. She shook her last thought from her mind.

When she approached Jason initially about scheduling a date night, she expected him to object. But he simply looked at her with his baby blues and asked, "Would that you make you happy?"

She nodded, to which he replied, "Okay. Kristina has piano on Tuesdays and Molly has swimming on Wednesdays; how do Thursdays work for you?"

"F, Fine." She stammered, a bit in shock at the ease with which he agreed. Who would have ever thought being married to Jason Morgan would be as easy as being married to Jax, except now she had the additional perks of love and sex. "Do you know how much I enjoy being married to you?" She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, enjoying the feel of his muscular back.

He turned to face her, seriousness etched on his brow. "Whatever happens, I love you."

Before long, date night became a regular event in their home. The rules were simple: Each person took turns planning the special evening and the other went along without any complaints. She nearly broke the rules when he took her to see the NY Giants game when the temperature was a "balmy" 38 degrees. She could tell he wanted to complain when she got them third row seating for the ballet.

Six months into their marriage, date night was still going strong. Tonight had been Jason's night to plan their date. To her surprise and dismay, they'd landed at Port Charles's new ice skating rink. Having grown up in Greece, she spent more time on the beach than the ice. Even as a teenager in New England, she'd been a bit of a loner and she hadn't skated then either.

Within seconds on the ice, her feet separated into different directions. Jason offered to help her, but something inside her really wanted to impress him with how capable she was. So, she pulled away, nearly stumbling. "I can do this on my own, Jason." She continued to stumble across the rink.

She became even more determined when she thought she heard him chuckle. Her confidence increased as she felt herself steady on her feet. Just as she turned to smile at him, something went terribly awry. Her feet developed their own minds and she began to careen out of control.

Soon, she could feel him behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She felt his lips at the soft part of her neck, just below her ear. "See, its okay to let someone help you sometimes."

She chuckled. "It even feels pretty good sometimes. Too bad, I've never been able to trust it." She immediately regretted dragging old baggage into their evening out.

"Until now." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

After a couple of hours, they found themselves at a cozy little coffee shop; one not previously owned by Jason and a certain Sonny Corinthos. Near the center there was a fireplace with a glowing fire, surrounded by two comfortable sofas.

Alexis plopped herself on one of the sofas as she waited for Jason to bring the hot cider she'd requested. In her mind, she replayed the last four months. Though initially for convenience, their marriage had been steady, an equal balance of passion and caring.

Jason was so different than the other men she had been with. He was quiet, not generally from anger or moodiness, but typically from introspection. Never had he made a promise he hadn't kept; for if he thought he couldn't keep a promise, he simply wouldn't make it. If he had a shortcoming, it was his bluntness. He never spoke in flowery terms. And if she should happen to ask him if something made her look fat, he might actually tell her, "yes." But it was his honesty that had allowed her to begin to trust him and men in general again.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" He handed her a cup of cider before he slid on the sofa beside her.

"You." Her hand teased a lock of his dirty blonde hair and she placed a kiss at his temple.

His arm slipped behind her waist as she snuggled into his shoulder. She wondered why she felt safest with Jason and the other dangerous men she loved. One thing was certain: it had nothing to do with her ability to see Max nearby. If anything, Max made her more uncomfortable because his presence brought her face to face with the reality that Jason had increased security since his hospital stay. No, she suspected it had to do with knowing Jason was willing to give his life for her, a trait possessed by only one other person: Sonny. As a Cassadine she was much more familiar with the exhibited willingness to sacrifice a life than the demonstrated desire to save one. It was this character trait that had drawn her to both Sonny and Jason. And though these two men represented many things she was once determined to despise, she loved them in ways she never thought possible, both differently and somehow the same.

"I was thinking." He began with his soft rasp of a voice she now adored. "We should go on a honeymoon."

"Feels like everyday is a honeymoon, Tiger." She loved teasing him with her private nickname for him.

"Then why don't I get to see you in a bikini?" He chuckled at the knowledge that he was only-half joking. "Seriously, Lex, I want to take you away somewhere. I want us to go away: you, me and the girls without sharing them with their fathers every other weekend." His brow creased as it did whenever he became serious.

"Where would you like to go?" She was terrified he would suggest Sonny's villa or one of his casinos in Puerto Rico.

"How about the Amalfi Coast?"

"Italy?" Once again, he'd managed to surprise her.

"Yeah, I've been reading a book about Italy to Molly when she can't sleep. It sounds beautiful."

For this answer, he was rewarded with a tender kiss. "Right now, you could take me to Siberia. When do you want to leave?"

"Soon. I don't want to keep you away from your new job too long."

She pushed herself up on her elbows to face him. "What are you talking about?"

He shot a deep breath from his mouth in a way that made him seem uncharacteristically uncertain about what he was going to say. "If you still want to, I think you should go work for Sonny. What do you think?"

Without a pause she responded, "I think you've lost your mind."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Hi all this chapter contains no Alexis (she'll be back next chappy.) This time it's mostly Sonny and Jason and some Sistina thrown in for good measure. Hope you enjoy. As always reviews are __**greatly**__ appreciated._

**Stronger Than Pride - Chapter 2**

Kristina Adella Corinthos-Davis was a beautiful girl. She was his daughter and she held all of her mother's intelligence and all of his stubbornness. Sonny was usually appreciative of this combination of their characteristics, but today it was wearing his patience thin.

"Kristina, you cannot have ice cream for breakfast."

"Why?"

"Because it's bad for you."

"Then why can I have it for dessert?" She titled her head, much like he did when he wanted to get his way.

"That's different?"

"Why? It has all the same ingredients at night as in the morning." Once again, logic reared its ugly head.

Sonny took a deep breath. "That's not the point. You don't need so much sugar to start off your day. You need something with protein, like eggs."

"But I hate eggs, Papa."

"I hate eggs, too, Unca Sonny." Molly piped up. His niece was the worst. With hiss mother's big brown eyes from which she could always manage to drop a well-placed tear. Both girls knew he was putty in their hands over most things, but food remained their last unconquered territory. "I don't wanna eat eggs, eee-ter."

"The two of you liked them last week."

"I changed my mind from last week."

"Unbelievable. Are you sure you're just six?"

She crossed her arms in front of her. "Papa, I'm old enough to know what I like."

Immediately, Sonny's mind flooded with images of future arguments between himself and his daughter: "Papa, I'm old enough to stay out as long as I want; Papa, I'm old enough to love who I want to love"; etc. His stomach began to churn.

"Papa!" He heard her little voice. "Papa, the doorbell."

He opened the door to find Jason without Alexis. Jason regularly appeared the morning after date night without Alexis. The first time, Sonny asked where she was only to be informed that she was still sleeping. Sonny hated the regular implication that she was probably too exhausted to awaken. Now, he just didn't ask. He invited his friend in.

Jason always stopped by the morning after date night to assure the girls that he and their mother were fine. It was one of the things Sonny hated about the life he'd chosen for them, all of them, including Jason. Kristina suffered from separation anxiety. She began to get panicky when she was away from her mother for any extended period. After Alexis's cancer, Michael's shooting and Ric and Sam's occasional departures from her life, Sonny could understand why she teetered near having panic attacks. Between him and Alexis, he was surprised she hadn't inherited more.

He checked his watch. "You're late."

"Ten minutes." Jason shrugged.

"Kristina's getting testy. She hates it when you're late. She starts to worry and then she becomes argumentative."

"Gee, I wonder where she learned to be argumentative."

Sonny wasn't sure whether his friend's comment was a swipe at him or one at Alexis. Whichever the case, he wasn't in the mood for jokes this morning. Ultimately, he knew Jason was right; Kristina inherited both of her parents' gift of being disagreeable at times.

"Papo!" Kristina shouted as soon as she saw Jason. She ran and embraced him. As usual, Molly followed closely behind. She hoisted her hands on her hips in a way he'd seen Alexis do before. "You're late."

"So, I've heard." He looked at the girls' plates.

"Mama's sleeping?"

"Yeah. She's fine asleep and she's fine."

Sonny watched as Kristina relaxed at Jason's words.

"What's this about not eating breakfast?" Jason looked at Kristina with his best stern face.

"I don't want eggs." Kristina remained defiant.

"And I didn't want you to polish my nails when we played Salon Style. People do things they don't feel like doing for the ones they love. So, go eat."

Sonny watched in amazement when without a pause, both Kristina and Molly returned to their places at the table. Inside he was conflicted. He was happy to know his girls were in good hands when he wasn't around. Yet, he still felt a little jealous that Jason had a place in the girls' life as well as in Alexis's life.

Jason interrupted his thoughts. "They know you're a push over for women."

"Hey, they've never painted my nails." Both men chuckled.

Jason pulled him aside and mentioned that he wanted to tell him something. Sonny did his best to keep a blank expression as Jason mentioned that he was taking Alexis on a honeymoon and they wanted to bring the girls. Apparently, his friend could still read him pretty well because he added hastily that they would wait a couple of weeks until the holidays were over. Then Jason surprised him, something he thought his friend could no longer do.

"Alexis has been getting a little stir-crazy, lately. So, I suggested she go back to work...for you."

"You think that's a good idea? I mean I told you how I felt about her. It's been six months, but I can't say for sure my feelings have changed."

"I trust you and I trust her. Look Sonny, you know as my wife, Alexis is a target. Only you can understand what that really means. You are the only person I know who would die before you let something happen to her."

"You can say that after Michael?"

The younger man stared at him for a moment. He seemed to be searching his eyes for something. Soon a half smile broke. "Yeah. I don't hold you responsible for Michael anymore. Besides you saved Alexis when she was only your attorney. I know you won't let anything happen to Kristina and Molly's mother."

"Thanks man." Sonny nodded then gave Jason's arm a pat. Jason headed back to the girls. Sonny sat in a chair near where he had been standing. He ran his hands over his face as he thought about the prospect of working with Alexis. When they worked together before, the chemistry between them had been palpable. Now, they shared a child and they knew what making love with each other was like. Would this new arrangement lead to betraying his best friend again, but this time with higher stakes? Could he risk being so close to Alexis, everyday? As he leaned back into his chair he knew one thing was certain, he couldn't walk away without trying.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: This chapter may be the last of total bliss for the Morgans, but every marriage hits a bumpy patch or two or in Port Charles four or five. Hope you enjoy. _

**Stronger Than Pride- Chapter 3**

A week before Christmas and Jason knew exactly what he was going to get Alexis: Sam. If he were able to pull it off, it would be the best gift she'd ever received. Making it happen would be the trick. He walked into the coffee shop he once owned with Sonny.

"Hey handsome." Claudia Zacchara's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Haven't seen much of you around town since your little accident. Is the wifey keeping you under lock and key to make sure you don't get hurt?"

"Hello Claudia." Jason sighed, a bit exasperated. "What are you doing here?"

She moved closer to him, touching his shoulder in the process. "Maybe I'm just checking up on you. After all, you are my responsibility. You know, once you save a life, you're responsible for it." With one quick motion, she tossed her dark hair out of her eyes and away from her face.

"Right." He spoke without blinking. "Consider yourself off the hook. I'm fine."

"Hey, I was thinking of starting a little business. You know opening up a store or something. You mind if I run a few ideas by you?"

Jason shrugged. "If you want."

The clearing of a throat interrupted their conversation. "I don't mean to interrupt, Jason, but I believe we had a meeting." Sam positioned herself between Jason and Claudia.

He smiled at her feistiness, knowing now that it was entirely genetic.

Claudia chuckled in a phony sort of way. "Oh, this must be awkward. You had a meeting scheduled with your ex-lover who is now your stepdaughter. I certainly wouldn't want to intrude." She leaned closer to him and whispered. "Your family gatherings must be even more interesting than mine."

"Goodbye Claudia." Jason's voice betrayed no emotion.

Her finger poked his cheek. "Goodbye Gorgeous. See you soon."

Sam sighed. "Jase, that woman is bad news. You know that right?"

Jason watched as Claudia walked out of the door. He remembered how she saved his life from a hit a few months before. To date, she hadn't asked for anything in return. "A lot of it is for show."

"Trusting her is a risk you can't take. You have a family to worry about now: in addition to Jake, there are my two little sisters and my mother. They're all depending on you to stay safe and keep them safe too."

For a moment, he wondered when she'd become so prudent. "Sam, I am worried about them. That's why I asked you to meet me here."

She scrunched her face. "What's wrong? Is it Kristina or Molly?"

"It's Alexis." The truth was Alexis was fine, but she had no idea someone had tried to kill him. In his business, he knew they wouldn't stop trying; although, he had more reasons to live than ever: Alexis, Molly, Kristina and Jake. But, if something happened, he knew Alexis would need her family. She could count on Sonny; he needed to know he could count on Sam.

"What's wrong with my mother?" Sam demanded.

Jason ushered her to a chair then headed to the counter and bought a couple of cups of coffee. When he returned, he handed her a cup. "Alexis, misses you. She loves you."

"Jason, I really don't think this is something I can talk about with you. You and I were together and now you're with my mother."

"We didn't get together to hurt you. There were some unexpected circumstances that brought us together and one thing led to another." He took a deep breath. "Look, Alexis managed to forgive you in the past. All I'm asking is for you to give her a chance."

Sam released an awkward laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Lucky asked me to do the same thing just this morning." She pulled her fingers through her hair. "Fine. You both win. I'll try. It's been practically impossible planning my wedding without her help anyway. I'm not going to make any promises."

Jason returned to the Penthouse to find Alexis had already begun to decorate for Christmas. As he entered, she pointed upward.

"What's...Is that mistletoe?"

With a mischievous smile she nodded before she pounced.

His arms embraced her body as their tongues danced. He released his grasp as he attempted to free himself from his leather jacket without breaking contact with her mouth. She moved backward toward the couch pulling him with her. Moments later, they were on the sofa and Alexis was tugging at the edge of his sweater.

"Wow. Is that industrial strength mistletoe?" He heard her giggle as she continued to attack his neck. "Can we put some in every room of the house?" He brought his mouth to her own and kissed her tenderly, slowing the intensity of their pace. "Where are the girls?"

"Birthday party." Once again she smiled mischievously. "Could last all afternoon."

"So, can I." Jason winked at her as he watched the blush come over her face. In a flash, he had her in his arms and he headed toward the bedroom...just in case the party ended earlier than expected.

Within minutes, he had her out of her clothes. He memorized every inch of her with each of his senses: his eyes, his hands, and his mouth. His whole life, at least the ten years of it he could remember, he wondered if the moment he was living would be his last. There had been times he hadn't cared whether he continued to exist. And there were times he'd been willing to do anything to ensure he could go on: times with Robin and Courtney, times with Elizabeth and times with Sam.

But he loved Alexis differently. He loved her with a desperation he hadn't known before. They were neither expected nor conventional, but together they worked. And he often felt that when she looked at him, she could see parts of him that no one had ever seen before. There were times after they made love, times like this, when he felt overwhelmed.

As she lay against his chest, he stroked her hair. "Are you happy, Alexis?"

She giggled. "If you'd made me any happier, I think Sonny could have heard me next door."

"That's not what I meant." He took a deep breath, which she must have felt. "I want to know if you are happy being with me."

She leaned on her elbow and faced him. "I'm happier than I knew was possible. Where is this coming from? Do you want out? Because if this arrangement isn't working for you anymore..."

He placed a finger on her mouth. "I love you. I don't want to go anywhere and I don't want us to keep calling our marriage an arrangement. Okay?"

"Okay." She ran her finger along the bridge of his nose. He watched as her face became serious. "What's going on with you?"

He closed his eyes slowly then reopened them. "I don't know. Sometimes the two of us being together gets to me. You were one of the first people to help me, you know, when I became Jason Morgan. You didn't look at me like I was him, the lost Quartermaine, and you actually believed I was a decent person. You though I could be a good father."

"And I was right. The girls adore you and you are amazing with Jake." She hesitated. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking about the times when you hauled me into the interview room at the PCPD."

"And you'd stare at me with those icy blue eyes. I always wondered what you were thinking."

"I was wondering if your legs were as amazing as I thought," he chuckled. "And I wondered when you started seeing me as the enemy."

He could tell she was caught off guard. She seemed to be searching for words. After a deep breath she began. "Jason, I hate what you do for a living. I especially hate it when I think about it... Anyway, when my sister died, I no longer had the luxury of pretending that the violence from yours and Sonny's world only touched bad people. But then, Stefan died an unrelated and violent death and my very safe choice of a lawyer for a husband brought me more pain and misery than I could bear, except for Molly, of course. And there was the Jerry disaster that very nearly killed me. Then you saved my life and I realized..."

He appreciated her honesty, and he marveled at how she could talk for an extended period of time without taking a breath. "You realized what?"

She sighed. "Look Jason, we've both lost a lot of people who were close to us over the past few years. Some of it was related to what you do, but most of it wasn't. I decided life was pretty random and maybe it was okay to trust you not only with my life, but with my heart, too."

Immediately, he felt the weight of her trust. He kissed her forehead. "I hope I don't let you down."

Once more, she rested her head on his chest. "You won't."

Their tender moment was interrupted by the simultaneous ringing of the telephone and the doorbell. He headed for the door and she agreed to answer the phone. He slipped on his jeans and answered the door. To his surprise, Claudia was on the other side.

"What are you doing here, Claudia?" He moved toward the sofa to find his sweater.

"I came to discuss some ideas for a possible business with my new partner." She eyed his bare chest before she slid closer to him. "So partner, what do you think the two of us would be good at?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi all,_

_Sorry this took so long. Anyhow, I hope you like it. If you do, please shoot me a reply and let me know. I'm trying to decide whether to continue the story. Take care._

_K_

**Stronger Than Pride 4**

Alexis peered into the water as it splashed against the docks. When she had awakened that morning her life seemed almost idyllic. She had a husband she loved, two adoring daughters and a scroungy orange cat named Tiger. While it was true, she had an eldest daughter from whom she was estranged she hoped for reconciliation.

In less than 24 hours, her life became a disaster. She'd found her adoring husband discussing a business partnership with the very woman who was partly responsible for his godson being in a vegetative state. Her youngest daughters were in a panic because Tiger had vomited and apparently was feeling ill. She supposed the good news would have been that her estranged daughter, Sam, had finally phoned. At least, it would have been good news if she hadn't discovered she was pregnant just before Sam called.

Once she learned she was pregnant, she decided she would embrace the good in her life. When Jason came home, she practically stripped him naked in the living room. She wanted, no, she needed to feel him loving her. And for a brief moment, everything was perfect...until Claudia showed up. Who knew how long she would have stayed if Tiger hadn't thrown up on her Jimmy Choo's? Gosh, she 'd really fallen in love with that little cat. She hoped he was okay.

Although she was furious that Jason brought Claudia in her home, he was wonderful with the girls and Tiger. He'd volunteered to take Tiger to the vet, so she could go wedding shopping with Sam, who'd called just as Claudia arrived.

When she arrived at the bridal store, Sam greeted her coolly, "Hello Alexis." _Alexis_, although it was her name, Sam hadn't used it in what felt like years. Their first moments were so awkward; she wondered why Sam had even called. But then something happened: Sam exited the dressing room. And she saw it: her daughter was going to make a beautiful bride, even if she was uniting her with Luke Spencer as family. Sam told her she and Lucky planned a June wedding. Alexis knew she'd be showing then, not to mention all the other things that could happen. She wondered if Sam would allow her to continue to be a part of her life. As the tears streamed, she heard Sam's voice.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"You're just so beautiful. Thank you for allowing me to see you...like this." She closed her eyes as Sam wiped the tears from her cheeks. She could tell her girl was fighting back her own tears as well.

"Well, get ready to see a lot more of me like this. I have 20 more hanging in the dressing room." Sam chuckled, evoking a smile from her in the process.

Alexis decided in that moment she would not tell Samantha about the baby if she could help it. She needed to repair their relationship. Selfishly, she wanted to cling to as many afternoons like this as possible.

Alexis never expected she would be pregnant; not again and not ever by Jason, even though he was her husband. They'd never even discussed the prospect of children. Why would they? Between the two of them they had two children under age four. The fact was, Sam had been engaged to Jason; yet, somehow in a strange twist of fate, she'd become his wife. Worse, Sam had struggled desperately to have Jason's baby only to learn she was barren. How could she tell her own child she had stolen her dream?

"Penny for your thoughts." She heard the familiar voice. When she turned to face him, she peered into the deep brown eyes with the endless lashes she'd once allowed to captivate her.

"I'm afraid I'd have to bill you triple, which is ironic because I haven't even started working for you again."

Sonny laughed, keeping his eyes fixed on her. She knew what he was doing: trying to read her. They'd examined each other for wear and tear a million times before, even though sometimes they were the very ones who'd caused the damage. "Trust me, I can afford it."

"I do trust you, Sonny." Her words were true. She did trust him. After everything, he was still one of her best friends. "I've just had a really bad day."

"Is that why you aren't answering your cell phone?"

How had he known?

Sonny pointed to his cell phone. "Jason. He called me ten minutes ago to see if I knew where you were. Sam dropped off your gloves when she realized you left them at the bridal shop. You ditched the guards?"

"I hate the guards."

"You need them."

"They remind me my husband is a mobster."

"Alleged mobster." Sonny dropped his head then flashed a dimpled-smile. "The guards keep someone from using you as a target to get to Jason."

"God-forbid I be the cause of violence in Port Charles. It goes without saying that I'd never want to leave my girls without a mother, but I think I'd have to haunt Ric from the grave if he used the fallout resulting from my death as a reason to lock up Jason."

"So, you've heard about my baby brother, the new DA?"

"I saw the papers as I was walking home. He worked for Anthony "freaking" Zacchara until five minutes ago. How can he become the new DA?" The truth was she wondered how far Ric would dig into Jerry's death and how soon he would start. She and Jason should be able to protect each other by marital privilege. But what if Ric turned Max or one of the cleanup crew into State's evidence? She wondered if her baby, the fourth of four fathers, would be born in a woman's prison.

"You realize you worked for me before you became DA?"

"That's true, but Corinthos, don't ever be sensible when I'm trying to be outraged."

"Sorry." Sonny laughed.

As she wondered whether she should begin to memorize the details of her life as it was now, she noted the way Sonny's laugh illuminated his face. Perhaps she focused too hard because a moment later she felt light-headed and two moments after that Sonny kept her from a nasty fall.

He led her to a nearby bench.

"Alexis, are you okay?"

After a moment, she managed to nod.

He looked at her again, the way he had done earlier. "Does Jason know you're pregnant?"

His question caught her off guard. She wondered how he knew. Then she thought, it's Sonny, of course he would figure it out. Sonny was one of the most intuitive men she knew, except when it came to figuring out his own daughter's parentage. Her hands covered her face as she allowed an answer to slip out. "Not yet."

"When are you going to tell him?"

"I'll tell him when I figure out if I want to stay pregnant."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: In the original of series of this story, Accidentally In Love, Jason and Alexis entered a marriage of convenience after Jason killed Jerry in the midst of Jerry trying to strangle Alexis._

**Stronger Than Pride - 5**

Alexis stared at him, waiting for some sort of reaction to her words: judgment, shock, or pity. Instead, he just watched her, trying to read what was wrong. From all appearances and much to his dismay, Jason and Alexis seemed to have the perfect marriage. Well, as perfect as could be expected between a mob boss and a former district attorney. He marveled that they never argued; a major feat where Alexis was concerned. Instead, they had very pointed disagreements; each one digging their heels in momentarily, until they talked out a compromise. "Talk to me. What's got you spooked?"

"I don't know, Sonny. Maybe I'm freaking out because I'm carrying the baby my daughter wanted so badly to have. Or maybe it's because my husband lives in a dangerous world and he has associates named Zacchara. Or it might be that I know my vindictive ex-husband won't be content until he locks up every member of my family, with the exception of Kristina and Molly."

"And will not having the baby change any of that?" Alexis had to know him well enough to know that he would never suggest she terminate her pregnancy, no matter how much it would kill him to see her carrying Jason's baby. But he wouldn't judge her, not after all the pain he'd caused her. After all, if it wasn't for him, she'd know nothing of the mob life, Ric Lansing or even Jason for that matter. "Alexis, Ric is going to come after Jason, no matter what. And Sam will get past this."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because now, looking back, can you tell me that you wouldn't have loved Lila if she had survived...?" His voice trailed off.

"Of course, I would have." She turned her back to him; he suspected it was to hide her emotions. An odd chuckle escaped her lips before she turned to face him again. With her hand, she swatted at an errant tear. "You know what the irony is here?"

He shook his head, "no."

"I kept Kristina away from you because of the danger surrounding your life, not to mention your propensity for being arrested. Now, you're out and I'm knee-deep."

Guilt seeped through his pores. "I'm sorry."

"For what? Just like last time, I jumped in with my eyes wide open. Jerry Jacks was my own doing. Everyone told me to stay away, but no, I insisted on being with him. Even when I learned what kind of man he was and the kind of things he was capable of doing." He watched her run her hands over her face, obviously agonizing about something. "When I finally realized who he was it was just too late. If it wasn't for Jason…"

"If it wasn't for Jason, what would have happened with Jerry?"

Immediately, he watched her build a wall between them as she wiped her eyes. "Being with Jerry would have destroyed me."

"How? Does he have something on you? Was he threatening you?"

She sighed. "Sonny, just let it go. Jason and I will be fine. And you're right, whether or not I keep this baby is not a decision I should make on my own. Why don't you walk me home and you and I can enjoy some of that comfortable silence that only comes with friendship."

He extended his hand, "Yeah, sure, whatever you want."

That evening, sleep eluded him. Alexis's words raced through his mind. What had she meant about being "knee-deep?" And why was she afraid for herself as well as Jason? What was she so afraid that Ric would find out? Before Alexis married Jason, he suspected there was something more to the story than they were telling him. Now, he was certain and he was also certain it had something to do with Jerry Jacks.

The next morning, before breakfast, he dialed a familiar phone number. "Hey, it's me. I need to see you. And yes, before you ask, it's important."

Half an hour later, Anna Devane, was at his door. As usual, she wore a pleasant smile and a mischievous look in her eyes. "Why have you summoned me, Corinthos?"

"Because I need something only you have."

"Flatterer." She pushed passed him into the Penthouse. "You do intend to feed me at this emergency meeting, don't you?"

"Of course." He chuckled. Anna had become one of his closest friends over the last few months. They'd nixed the idea of anything romantic almost immediately. Actually, she nixed the idea of pursing a romantic relationship, declaring on a regular basis that she had "no intention of being a substitute for Alexis." He wasn't surprised she had guessed. It wasn't that far of a leap, really. She was dark-haired, no-nonsense, smart, beautiful and funny. Though they weren't carbon copies, they were definitely the same type. Even still, it didn't keep him from denying her accusation. It also didn't keep him from flirting with her.

"So, tell me, what is it that you want?"

"Information."

"Well, that's rather boring, don't you think? And not even the slightest bit flirtatious. This must be serious."

"It is. What can you tell me about Jerry Jacks?"

"He used to date Alexis. Now that we're done with that, let's have breakfast."

"Come on, Anna. You know what I mean. I need your secret spy type information. Don't you still have contacts at the WSB?"

"Yes, but it would be an ethical breach for me to get information from them and give it to you."

"What if it is a matter of life and death?"

"Something tells me this is more a matter of Alexis Davis."

"Don't start."

"Don't start what? You are obsessed with the woman." He couldn't help but smile at her. With her English accent, even an accusation sounded pleasant.

"She's Kristina's mother. Besides, you just brought her up; I didn't."

"Yes, but you asked me about Jerry. And Alexis was involved with him until he left town. But humor me; what do you need to know?"

"Why did he come back to Port Charles this time? What did he do before he came back? Who did his plastic surgery? When was he last seen? Where is he now?"

"How about name, rank and serial number, while I'm at it?"

"Sure."

"I was joking. Look, I won't make you any promises, but I'll see what I can do. Now, get in the kitchen and bring out my bribe. "

Sonny chuckled. He suddenly felt as though a weight had been lifted. "Yes, ma'am."


	6. Chapter 6

**Stronger than Pride – Chapter 6**

Jason did his best to be patient with Alexis. After all, he knew how much she hated to be pushed; he hated to be pushed, too. Even still, he was worried. She'd disappeared from the guards the night before and she'd remained mostly quiet that morning.

He took in the sight of her as she gazed out of the window. She was still beautiful, yet, he could see the worry on her face. What happened in 24 hours to upset her so much? Sliding up behind her, he slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. Her back remained tense. "Alexis, I can tell something is wrong; whatever it is we can get through it."

"I wish I could be so sure."

With a gentle force, he turned her to face him. Immediately, he noticed the tears that sat on the brims of her eyelids. "Lex, what is it? Is the cancer back? Because if it is, we'll fight it together. I won't leave you for a second."

"No, the cancer's not back. All things being considered, that alone should make me happy."

He could see the sadness in her eyes. "But you're not happy." He smoothed her hair. "What's wrong?"

He watched as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Jason, we have a good life, but a lot happened yesterday and I guess it kind of freaked me out."

For a moment, he wracked his brain to try to figure out what could have upset her. Then it hit him: Ric's appointment as DA was the moment they feared from the time he shot Jerry to save her. "Is this about Ric?"

She sighed heavily. "Yes. It's about Ric and Claudia."

"What does Claudia have to do with anything?"

"She was in our home, fifteen feet away from where the girls sleep, until Tiger threw up on her shoes. You know you can't trust her, don't you?"

He sighed. He'd vowed to keep Alexis away from the business and conversely, the business away from Alexis because he knew she couldn't handle it. For years he'd watched the inner turmoil she'd struggled with, just because Sonny was Kristina's father. "I didn't know Claudia was going to come here. It won't happen again."

"That's not exactly the point, Jason. You can't seriously be considering going into business with her." He noticed how her voice had grown louder and he was suddenly very grateful that the girls were not home.

"Alexis, there are things that you don't understand." One of those things was Claudia saved his life the night his motorcycle was run off the road. Another was there might possibly be a hit on his life.

"Care to enlighten me?"

"No." He couldn't tell her the truth and he wouldn't lie to her. "Alexis, I don't want you involved in the business. I know you hate what I do. Honestly, I don't like it myself, but I don't see a way out of it right now."

"Well, that makes what I have to say to you that much harder." She moved away from him and sat on the sofa. He moved to her side.

"Alexis, if you want out, I understand. I'll hate it, but I'll understand it."

"I'm pregnant."

For a minute, Jason thought his heart stopped. Between them they had three kids under age 7. Each day, he prayed he would live to see them make their eighteenth birthdays. Each day, he prayed none of them would meet the same fate as Michael. "I don't know what to say."

"I can see you're thrilled, too." She swatted the tears that had now begun to fall away from her eyes.

"You don't want this baby?"

"I don't know," her voice was just above a whisper. "This baby will complicate everything. It will aggravate Ric, which I don't think we can afford to do right now. Plus, it will hurt Sam. Not to mention, I don't exactly see you jumping for joy either."

Jason had to catch his breath. Her news and her reaction to the news had surprised him. But he closed his eyes and thought of a new baby with Alexis's dimples and his eyes. "You just surprised me. I love you. Of course, I want this baby. I don't care about Ric and frankly this baby is more important to me than Sam's hurt feelings. I promise you I will make everything okay." He had no idea how to keep his promise, but he'd find a way. He pulled her into his arms. "Do you trust me?"

"I'm so scared." He saw the tears in her eyes and pulled her into his arms.

"Me too." He kissed her hair. "I love you, so much."

"I love you, too." She began to sob.

That night, Jason didn't sleep. In his mind, he replayed the possible scenarios for the future. He might be jailed or killed before their child was born or he might be killed and Alexis might be jailed before the baby was born. Perhaps they should leave the country. Maybe he should send Alexis and the girls away, just for a while. Having a family made him vulnerable. He walked back to the bed where Alexis lay sleeping. He thought of their baby on the way and of Kristina and Molly. He wasn't sure if he could save himself, but he knew he'd do whatever it took to keep his family safe.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi all, this is one is JasLexis and Sexis. From here on out, I'm going to do my best to update on Mondays. Hope you enjoy. Replies are appreciated._

**Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 7**

Alexis awoke to the sight of two ocean-blue orbs staring intently at her. Through her still half-dazed state, she thought she noticed a half-smile on Jason's face. Her voice scratched as she spoke, "What time is it?"

"It's still early."

"Then why are you smiling?" Alexis would never be a morning person. Much to her chagrin, she'd married one.

Her crabbiness seemed to make him smile more. "I was thinking about the morning chaos when the baby comes. Three kids and a cat, everyone screaming for something; we're going to need a bigger place."

Typically, the knocks on their bedroom door came soon after they awoke, allowing them only brief moments of peace. With a new baby, the brief moments would be briefer. "And this makes you smile because…"

"Because I like being a family with you."

With a simple statement, he'd managed to smash the walls that sometimes guarded her heart, once again. Sometimes it still blew her mind that she loved him: Jason Morgan, of all people. "You're just trying to get lucky before everyone wakes up."

Jason laughed. "I was just thinking about our little girl and how much she's going to love following behind her sisters."

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "A girl, huh?"

"Yeah, Tiger and I kind of like being the only men in the house."

Alexis burst into laughter. "Do you know how absolutely ridiculous that sounds?"

"Uh-huh." He smiled then he became serious as he pondered something. "Would you mind, if the baby is a girl, if we named her Emily?"

Emily, after his sister, losing a sister was another bond they shared. For the first time, she noticed the sadness in his eyes. "I think that's a perfect name."

"Thank you." He kissed her cheek, then her neck. She wore only his pajama top; he wore the bottoms. Shortly after they married, they found they were happy to share a pair. Now, his hand moved to the buttons of his pajama top. With each kiss, he freed a button from its closure.

"What are you doing?" She smiled as she enjoyed each kiss.

She felt the warmth of his breath as he whispered in her ear. "I'm trying to get lucky before everyone wakes up."

Later that morning, Alexis arrived at Sonny's ready for her first day at work. The location, just across the hall, could not have been more convenient. She was calmer than she had been when she'd seen him the day before. Making love with Jason always seemed to make her feel content.

"Hey," Sonny greeted her with a dimpled smile.

"Morning Boss." She entered Penthouse Four, feeling only a trace of the initial discomfort she first felt when Sonny returned there to live.

"I like the sound of that."

"You would." She laughed. She looked at the stairs and remembered descending them, clad in Sonny's shirt, the morning after Kristina was conceived. Their night together had been the result of their professional relationship, their friendship and so much more. She now questioned the sanity of returning to this place. "So, this is a switch; the two of us working together again."

"You mean you working for me." He teased. She knew he was trying to break a bit of the tension he could feel between them.

"So, you're planning on pulling rank?"

He chuckled. "Come on, we both know you were always the boss, even when you worked for me."

"Sure I was. Which is exactly why, you never listened to me."

"I always listened to you…after I had a chance to think. Then I'd usually do exactly what you told me to do." He paused, obviously thinking of something. "Did you take my advice last night?"

An audible sigh escaped her lips. She'd nearly forgotten that she'd told Sonny about her pregnancy and her doubts. "Yes, I told Jason about the baby."

"And?"

"And I think he's excited. He wants to name the baby Emily, if it's a girl."

Sonny dropped his head, which caused her to remember Sonny's relationship with Emily. A moment later, he lifted his head. Sadness touched the corners of his smile. "You pick out names for a boy?"

"Nope. Seems Jason is partial to the women in his life."

"Can't say I blame him." An awkward silence filled the air. Sonny moved to his desk and pulled out a small stack of papers. He handed them to Alexis. "I thought I'd start you off with something vaguely familiar."

"What are these?"

"Contracts for the sugar cane workers who work in my rum plant in Puerto Rico. Seems they've been threatening to go on strike. I figured since you did so well with the negotiation the last time, you might be able to work this one out by phone."

"Great. I'll get right on this." Puerto Rico. If anything could make her less comfortable than standing in Penthouse Four, once again working for Sonny, it was the thought of Puerto Rico. She'd given Sonny her heart once; she believed it happened in Puerto Rico. Later, he'd smashed it in a thousand pieces and handed it back to her. Jason now kept her heart safely in his possession; even still, she'd rather not relive Puerto Rico. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, you were pretty wound up last night about Ric becoming the new DA. And you seemed very preoccupied about Jerry Jacks."

"Jerry is a non-issue."

"Why?"

She turned her back to him. "You used to know how to leave things alone."

"You used to know how to trust me."

"What do you want from me?"

"The truth." He touched her shoulder. "Is Jerry dead? Is that why you and Jason got together?"

Alexis felt as though she had been punched in the gut. She'd promised Jason she wouldn't tell Sonny the truth when she and Jason first agreed to be together. She looked at him. His dark eyes burned holes straight through to her heart. At that moment, her breath betrayed her as it decided to come at less regular intervals. Sonny turned her to face him. The tears flowed as she nodded once.

"Don't worry. That's all I need to know. I won't ask you to betray any confidences." He pulled her into his arms as he had done so many times before. "Shh…," he whispered.

The tears came fast and furiously. A tangle of emotions that had been tangled inside her seemed to unravel. Maybe it was her hormones or maybe it was the release of the burden of carrying the secret of that horrible night for the last seven months, without sharing it with another person. He let her cry for a few moments, until she pulled away.

Placing his hands on her face, he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. Alexis, listen to me. Jerry was a bad man. No matter what happened, I will not let anything happen to you or Jason. Your baby will be born to two parents who love him."

She smiled as she swatted the remainder of the tears from her eyes. "Him?"

"Yeah, I always pull for the underdog."


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Well, I managed to keep my promise to post on Mondays. This chapter has no JasLexis, but is still very important to the story. We'll check in on JasLexis's honeymoon next chapter. Thanks for reading and as always, let me know what you think._

**Stronger Than Pride - Chapter 8 **

Christmas had come and gone in a peaceful, rather uneventful manner. He'd been surrounded by his children, Krissy, Morgan and Molly. Sonny knew Molly wasn't technically his, but he loved her as much as if she were.

He made dinner for the whole family: the kids, Alexis, Jason, Carly and Jax. He shook his head at the realization that he thought of Jax as family. Dinner conversation was tense, at first, but eventually eased. Still, it led him to have many random thoughts. He thought it odd that Carly and Alexis would each wind up married to the other's best friend. And then he wondered where it left him.

For months now, he'd only played the role of the devoted father and the good friend. Now, Jason and Alexis had taken Morgan and the girls to Italy for two weeks and he was lonely. Though they were due back in a matter of days, it seemed time couldn't pass quickly enough.

He turned the television on and found himself drawn to an episode of Yo-Gabba-Gabba. It was Molly's favorite show. She liked it so much that he made sure Santa brought her a Brobee, the dancing monster that always made her giggle.

The doorbell startled him. He knew who it wasn't. Jason somehow convinced Carly to let Morgan, "Morgy" as he was affectionately referred to by his sisters, travel with them to Italy. Now, Carly and Jax were getting reacquainted again and had made themselves scarce over the last week.

Molly came home distraught after a visit with Ric on Christmas Eve. She explained that her daddy told her Morgy was Krissy's brother and not hers. After he, Jason, Alexis, Carly and Jax tried to convince her that Morgan was just as much family to her as he was to Kristina, Jason decided they should put their money where there mouths were and take Morgan with them to Italy.

Ric was such an arrogant bastard. He should have known his daughter was the President of the Morgan Corinthos fan club; instead, he allowed his own personal feelings to hurt his daughter. One day when he was having Ric tortured, he would remind him of how he'd hurt the girl.

Once again, the doorbell demanded his answer. Eventually, he made his way to answer it.

"I've come to rescue you, Sonny Corinthos." Anna barged in. She wore a fitted black dress that flattered her figure.

He admired her physique before he added, "Save me from what?"

"I don't know? Boredom? The destruction of your reputation?"

He scratched the side of his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"It's a Saturday night and you are at home doing what? Watching television?" She moved toward the TV and actually gasped when she saw the image it displayed. "Is that a kids show?"

"Yeah." He dropped his head. "It's Molly's favorite."

"Molly?" She shook her head. "That's it. Tonight you are going to do something that does not relate to Alexis Davis-Morgan in some way."

"So, I'm a bad guy because I miss my children and my niece."

"So you don't miss Molly and Kristina's mother?"

"Anna…"

"Fine, you are a wonderful man precisely because you love your kids. But we are going out tonight and you are going to have some fun. I am your friend and I won't allow you to turn yourself into a boring person."

"What if I don't feel like going out?" Although Sonny had been bored, he was content to remain at home in the Penthouse.

"I don't believe I asked you what you felt like. Now, go get changed." She placed one hand on her hip and pointed toward the stairs with the other.

It reminded him of his failed attempt to seduce Alexis many years ago. She'd yelled at him to get under his covers and go to sleep. The thought made him smile. Generally, he had good luck when women ordered him around; so, he decided to play along. "Yes ma'am."

"And you better come back looking hot."

Sonny laughed out loud. He found himself taking two steps at a time until he reached his bedroom. Later he emerged donning a black tux with a white shirt and no tie. After much care he managed to gel the last of his curls into a straightened position on his head. One glance in the mirror confirmed he still had it.

"Wow." He heard her gasp. "It's nice to know the former boss can follow orders."

"I aim to please." He began to feel like himself, for the first time in ages. "So, where are we going?"

"Manhattan."

Sonny and Anna took the two-hour ride to Manhattan in his limo. Along the way, he smiled as she chatted about Robin and her new baby, Emma. He couldn't believe his Robin was a doctor and a mother now. Stone would be so proud of her. In exchange, he told Anna how he grew up in Bensonhurst and all about the Cerullo family. Both carefully avoided one subject: Alexis.

They hit Jean-Georges for a first class dinner and Dizzy's for jazz and dancing afterward. Anna was wonderful company and she could definitely hold her own on the dance floor. He loved the excitement of the city; the way it made the blood in his veins pulse. Nothing could compare to way the bright lights from the buildings illuminated the black night. It made him feel adventurous in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.

As they rode back to Port Charles, Sonny felt relaxed. Still, he wondered what prompted Anna's spur of the moment invitation. "Ms. Devane, you sure know how to show a guy a good time."

"Did you doubt I did?" She tilted her head to the side in a way that reminded him of Alexis, though he knew better than to tell her.

"Of course not. Still I wonder what made you demand I come out with you. Change your mind about us only being friends?" He allowed his hand to wander to her knee.

"Absolutely not; especially not when you look so handsome. You're way too dangerous." She shoved his hand off her knee.

He rolled his eyes, more than a little disappointed. "Then what was it?"

Anna became suddenly very serious. "Sonny, I wanted you to remember what is was to have fun and what it means to have a life with some balance. You know, where you do something other than obsess about your best friend's wife."

"Will you just tell me what this was about?"

She sighed. "I received some information."

"What information?"

"Promise me you won't try to take matters into your own hands."

"Me?"

"Sonny."

"Fine."

"I had a friend in the WSB do some checking."

Sonny's curiosity was beginning to get the best him. Anna typically didn't mince words. "And?"

"And it turns out, Jerry Jacks never had plastic surgery."

"When?" Maybe Alexis only thought he was dead. "You mean he hasn't had plastic surgery since he disappeared?"

"No. I mean he never had plastic surgery; not even from a less than reputable doctor, which means…"

"Which means the person Alexis was involved with was someone pretending to be Jerry Jacks?" Sonny leaned back onto the limousine seat and closed his eyes. "Who would pretend to be Jerry Jacks?"

"Everett Brighton, although he called himself James Craig. He was a former WSB agent who went rogue a couple of years ago. He'd spent the last several years lining his pockets by doing various jobs for organized crime."

Sonny felt a pain in his heart. "And he was that close to Alexis and the girls?"

"Yeah, and there is reason to suspect he was involved in the shooting of your ex-fiancée."

The wheels began to spin in Sonny's head. Craig or Brighton, whatever he was called was involved with Alexis and somehow implicated in the attempt on his life. Alexis had confirmed the night before that Craig was dead. Still, he needed to know what the authorities knew. "Where is he now?"

"Totally disappeared from our radar."

"When?"

"June of last year."

Sonny's thoughts crystallized. Somehow Jason and Alexis were involved. It was the reason they'd married. It was also the reason Alexis freaked out about Ric and possibly being arrested. "So, if this guy wasn't Jerry Jacks, where's the real Jerry?"

"No one seems to know."

"Yeah, well someone is about to find out."

Anna sighed. "Sonny, please stay out of this. I've pulled some strings. I have two agents looking into it; off-the-record, of course. Hopefully they can find out what's happened to Jerry Jacks."

A million thoughts ran through Sonny's mind; most started and ended with Ric. "I'll stay out of it for now, if you promise to make your friends keep Jerry hidden when they find him."

"I will, if he's alive."


	9. Chapter 9

_Hi all, this is a little bit of a filler chapter. Just some JasLexis bliss before the stuff hits the fan. Hope you enjoy. Please forgive any editing issues. It was pretty late when I wrote this one._

**Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 9**

Alexis stared at the Italian countryside which was visible from the bed; thanks to the large bay window. She loved Italy and their hotel, Le Sirenuse, located in Positano was perfect. Jason had handled all of the arrangements. The hotel had a spa, a boutique and even its own signature perfume that was made on site.

Alexis sighed. She couldn't believe they only had one full day left. Viola, godsend that she was, had taken the kids on a local tour this morning. And so, it came as no surprise to her that Jason wanted to spend the morning in bed. She felt him stir beside her.

"Did someone forget to tell you it was still morning?" Jason teased.

"Very funny." She turned to face him. "This trip has been absolutely perfect. I don't want to sleep a minute longer than necessary."

"So you're happy?" He touched his finger to the tip of her nose.

"Very." She chuckled. "Did you ever think that we would be married and this happy?"

"Nope." He gave her a sweet kiss that suggested he wanted more.

She nuzzled her head into his neck. "And did you ever dream that we would go at it like teenagers?"

"Yep. Twice."

"Jason!" Alexis felt her cheeks redden. After a moment, she thought about what he'd said. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

Curiosity got the best of her. "When?"

"The first time was when I saw that picture of you in underwear at the Biker Bar."

"Sorry I asked." She sighed.

"That dream was relatively tame. Then I had a dream after one of our typical knock-down, drag out fights at the PCPD. We were still knock-down drag out in the dream, but we weren't fighting."

"Jason!" She giggled. "Hey, I just realized we used to argue like cats and dogs before we got married; now, we hardly ever disagree."

"We just found other ways to expend our energy." He moved into kiss her. Soon his mouth moved from her mouth to her jawline and then on to her neck.

"Someone woke-up feeling horny."

"Hey, how often do we get a morning to ourselves?"

"That's right. I'm furious with you!" She feigned anger. "Viola is one of the best things to ever happen to me and now because you wanted to come to Italy, I may lose her."

A young man named, Paulo, had taken to Viola early on the trip and the two were now practically inseparable. Alexis was certain Viola would announce at any minute that she was staying in Italy. She couldn't blame her. Paulo was absolutely gorgeous with his dark hair and green eyes. And he was so charming. Paulo said the sweetest things. Viola had been smitten from the start.

Jason stared at her and for a second, she began to think he was angry. "You're mad at me? I should be mad at you."

"What did I do?" She poked her lip in a pout, just in case he was serious.

"You forgot to mention that you spoke Italian fluently. Do you know how sexy that is? I've never been the jealous type, but now I may have to reconsider."

She'd learned Italian as a girl. Stefan taught her to prepare her for the trips he took her on during winter breaks. She hadn't mentioned it to Jason because she never made mention of the fact that she could speak other languages, one of which was Spanish. In the past, her discretion had allowed her to be privy to many secrets.

"My brother taught me. We used to go to Sardinia on my winter breaks."

"Your brother was an interesting guy. He really loved you and Nicholas. He hated me from the first time we met. Somewhere he's rolling his eyes about you and I being together."

"Actually, I think he's smiling because he knows this is the happiest I've ever been."

Jason smiled before he began to move to kiss her once more. She blocked his kiss with a finger. "Not so fast. I'm still losing Viola."

"No you're not. Paulo has been offered a job as a coffee buyer for the Corinthos-Morgan coffee. We started working on a Visa for him three days ago." Jason appeared to be quite proud of himself.

"Is there anything else I should know?" She noticed the shimmer in Jason's eyes fade just a bit.

"Actually…"

She placed a finger to his lips. "Whatever it is, I don't want to know. I want our time here to stay perfect. Did you know: I've been married three times and this is my first honeymoon ever?"

"I guess I owe you two more."

"I'm going to hold you to it."

A few days later, as they packed their bags to go home, Alexis nearly cried. For two weeks, life had been nearly perfect. And now, it was time to return to Port Charles. She folded the beautiful surprise she'd found for Sam and prayed it would somehow ease the tension that was sure to come between them. She ran her hands along the silk ties and the cufflinks she'd helped the children pick out for Sonny and she prayed they could work together as friends. Her mind flashed images of Claudia and Ric and the threats each of them posed. Finally, her hands moved to her belly. In her mind, she spoke to their baby, "Somehow, some way, we'll make this okay for you."

Jason wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Are you ready to go home?"

"No, but I guess it's time."


	10. Chapter 10

Here's this Monday's edition of Stronger Than Pride. The plot thickens. Hope you enjoy, replies are appreciated.

**Stronger Than Pride** **– Chapter 10**

Alexis carried a sleepy Molly, while he held Kristina and Morgan's hands. Penthouse Two was home sweet home for their expanding brood and he for one would be glad to be back. The ride up on the elevator seemed to take an eternity. As the elevator announced their floor, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. After an eight and one-half hour flight and a two hour drive from the airport, he couldn't be more excited to see their home.

Their honeymoon had been amazing. He'd had two weeks of her and of their family. It had been the best two weeks of his life. She'd gotten under his skin even more, which he hadn't even thought was possible. However, real life called back in Port Charles called and they had to answer.

As soon as the elevator door opened, Jason saw Sonny waiting; so did Kristina and Morgan. "Papa!" they screamed, suddenly awake.

The noise woke Molly who scrambled in Alexis's arms until she hit the ground. She also screamed, "Papa!" Jason knew that at three, she only wanted to do anything Kristina and Morgan did. Still, he knew Ric would blow a gasket if he heard her call Sonny, "papa."

After a few minutes of being engulfed in little arms, Sonny extended his hand toward him. "Welcome Home."

"Thanks man."

He watched as Sonny moved toward Alexis. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." She smiled.

They stood there a bit awkwardly; almost reminding him of young teenagers who had their first crush, but maybe he was misreading things. Suddenly, he began to question whether it was a good idea for the two to work together. Then Sonny spoke. "Why don't I take the kids, so you and Jason can get some rest? Tiger's already next door."

"Please, please," pleaded the little voices.

He noticed the way Sonny looked at Alexis, though he knew it was unintentional. His wife was beautiful, even after a ten hour day. The pregnancy made her glow. He used to wonder how Sonny and Alexis had gotten together in the first place. Now, he wondered what pulled them apart.

Alexis smiled, "That would be wonderful."

Seconds later, Sonny and the little ones disappeared into Penthouse Four. He studied the way Alexis watched the door to Penthouse Four, even after Sonny and the kids had gone inside. He tried to shake it from his mind.

Sneaking up behind her, he swooped down and picked her up.

"Jason, what are you doing?" She laughed, all of her previous preoccupation vanishing instantly.

"Carrying you over the threshold. It's how you're supposed to end a honeymoon." Once inside he placed her gently on the sofa and then sat beside her. "How do you feel?"

"I'm good," she relaxed into the sofa. A moment later, she popped up. " You're not asking because you want to…"

"No," he chuckled. "It was a long flight and you're pregnant. You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"

"Jason, I'm fine." She maneuvered herself until she was resting against his body. "You know this is going to take some getting use to."

"What?"

"Being pregnant and not alone." She sighed. "Ric was present for Molly's birth, but he was missing for most of the pregnancy. His obsession with Sonny's woman of the moment, kept him from focusing on his family."

"What about Sonny?"

"I don't think he knew they were having an affair."

Jason stroked her hair. "That's not what I mean. What I'm asking is why you chose to have Kristina without Sonny knowing about it?"

He felt her back stiffen just before she sat up. "I was scared of his lifestyle. Kind of ironic that I'm living it now and he's out, don't you think."

"So, how can you do it now?"

"Because it's much easier to live this life knowing you love me. I knew Sonny still loved Carly and I knew I couldn't live with him as his obligation and face losing him to either resentment or violence."

"Did you love him?"

"Yes, but sometimes love isn't enough, particularly when it's one-sided."

He wavered as he considered whether he should tell her it wasn't one-sided. Sonny loved her, then. He'd known it when he came back to town and saw the way Sonny looked at her. Sonny denied it at the time, but he really wasn't surprised when he admitted it later. He wondered if telling her the truth might give her a sense of relief or cause her more pain. Ultimately, he decided it was a door he didn't want to risk opening. "And now?"

"Now life has taken a totally unexpected turn and given me a husband that is more wonderful than I could have ever dreamed." She touched his face. "And now, my heart is so full of love for you that sometimes I feel like I could burst."

"Good answer." He kissed her tenderly. "By the way, you don't have to worry about having this baby alone. I'm won't leave you, ever."

"Promise?" The tears floated to the rims of her eyes.

"I promise." He placed his hand on her lower belly, which was still completely flat. He kissed her again.

The door burst open. Carly slapped her hands on her hips. "Oh my gosh! Is that all the two of you do? Tell me you didn't subject my son to your constant groping."

He smiled. Carly was joking, sort of. Over the last seven months, she'd softened to the idea of their marriage; particularly, since it was Alexis who'd encouraged Jax to give her a second chance.

"Hello Carly." Alexis deadpanned.

"Hello Alexis." Carly offered equal enthusiasm.

"Morgan's next door." Alexis turned to him. "Baby, the present you bought Carly is in my carry-on by the door." She kissed him on the cheek and headed toward the stairs.

"What did you buy me?" Carly sat on the sofa and waited for Jason to deposit the present they'd brought her. She unwrapped the package to reveal the hotel's exclusive perfume. She inhaled deeply and smiled. "I hate her, you know."

"I thought the two of you were getting along."

"We are…as much as that's possible. But I hate how happy she makes you." Carly laughed to herself. "Witch."

"Carly."

"I'm kidding." She poked at his cheek. "At least she's beyond child-bearing years. I don't know if I could handle it if…"

"Alexis is still young enough to have more children, in fact…"

"No. Jason, tell me she's not carrying your child." He remained silent for a full three minutes. Finally, Carly spoke. "I guess I should have expected this with the two of you going at it all the time. You have to know I hate this."

"I know. But I know deep down you're happy for me."

"I guess." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a slightly somber hug. "Love you."

"I know."

She socked him in the arm in response. With her words, he relaxed at the idea of Sonny living across the hall. Yes, Sonny still loved Alexis, but Alexis loved him. Sonny would move on just like Carly moved on after him and again after Sonny.

The next morning, at the crack of dawn, the doorbell rang. As soon as Alexis pulled the covers over her head, it became clear that he was assigned the task of answering it. He opened the door to find Claudia standing on the other side.

"Hi ya, handsome." She pushed past him and walked into the living room.

"Claudia, you need to leave, now." He kept the door open. He remembered how Claudia's last visit had sparked an argument between he and Alexis.

"Is that anyway to talk to your business partner?" She sat on the sofa and crossed her legs. "I was thinking of an art gallery. That way we would have a reason to receive out of the country shipments, if you know what I mean. Dual purpose, it's a good idea, right? Your ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth, could paint the pictures and your step-daughter, Sam could captain the freighter and then if we got busted your wife could get the charges dropped. It could be a family business."

"We need to talk about this later. And you need to go, now." He lifted her by her elbow until she stood.

"Fine." She walked toward the door. Just before she left, she stopped in her tracks. She spun around and faced him. "Oh I forgot. As a belated wedding present, I made nice with my father and got him to call off the hit. So, it's safe to ride your motorcycle again." Claudia smiled slyly as she looked toward the stairs. "Good morning Mrs. Morgan. Welcome back." She closed the door behind her.

Jason turned to see Alexis at the top of the stairs, still in her pajamas, with a confused look on her face.

"Jason, what did she mean?"

He didn't know what to say. The truth was bad, but lying to her would be worse.

"There was a hit on you and you knew about it?" She sat where she was on the stairs. "The night of your motorcycle accident; that was an attempt on your life wasn't it?"

He dropped his head.

"And it's been over your head for months? You knew there was a hit and you didn't tell me? You put yourself, me and our children in danger."

"I did my best to keep everyone safe."

"You did your best? You did your best? Jason, this isn't a high school exam or a tryout for a play. Someone was trying to kill you and all you can say is you did your best? I want you out of here."

"What? No."

"What do you mean, "No?"

"What I mean is just last night, I sat beside you and promised you I wouldn't leave you. I'm not going to do it just because you tell me to."

"You can't be serious. You are going to insist on staying here even though I'm asking you to go?"

Once more he remained silent.

She turned and headed upstairs. Thirty minutes later, she reappeared with a small suitcase in her hands.

"What are you doing?"

"If you won't go then I will."

"Lex," he practically whispered. "Can't we talk about this?"

"I don't want to talk. I don't want to listen. I just want to go."

She moved toward the door, then she looked back. "Goodbye Jason."

The door slammed behind her.

He punched the wall. "Damn it."


	11. Chapter 11

_Hi all, I'm sorry I missed my last two Monday deadlines, but I'll do my best to update this again on Monday. Hope you're still reading. Replies are greatly appreciated._

**Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 11**

Sonny smiled at Kristina and Molly who gobbled the eggs he'd fed them. Three weeks ago, they'd refused to eat eggs; this week they'd asked for them. Both girls had grown so much in the two weeks they'd been away. Now, one was out chirping the other as they vied for his attention. He wouldn't have it any other way. He thought of running next door and asking Alexis if he could keep them for the day. It wasn't yet the weekend; still, he had no intention of sending Kristina to school.

He was startled by the loud banging on the door. As he moved to answer it, he heard Alexis call out, "Sonny, it's Alexis. I need to take the girls."

As soon as he opened the door, he could tell she was on the brink of tears. Without being asked, she moved into the center of his living room. In one hand she held a small suitcase.

He ran his gaze over her, trying to read her as he had done so many times before. "What's going on?"

"It's over." With two words, Alexis crumpled into his arms.

He rubbed her back, taking in her scent. He was amazed that she still smelled of vanilla and gardenias. After a moment or so, he picked up her suitcase and ushered her to the sofa. "What happened?"

"I can't do this."

"Shh," he whispered. He ran his fingers through her chestnut-hued hair. In the process, he marveled at its silky texture and its thickness. Two years ago, she'd been bald from chemotherapy. And now, there was no trace of the cancer. Her resilience, not only from the cancer, amazed him. "Talk to me."

"There was a hit on Jason, Sonny. A hit. For six months, his life was in jeopardy. And I had to overhear it from Claudia, of all people."

He sighed. Somehow Alexis wanting to leave Jason made her marriage to his best friend feel more real than ever. When the option was love or run; Alexis always ran. It was the only way he could explain how she could have left him but stayed in a marriage with Ric. "So, you're leaving Jason because you could have lost him? I may not be a smart guy, but it seems like you lose him if you leave him."

"It wasn't just his life he was risking, Sonny. Me, the girls, the baby; we could have all been killed."

"Jason's careful." Sonny closed his eyes as he wondered when the universe had shifted. Through some strange turn of events, Alexis had stopped belonging to him, to his past and to his heart. And now, she belonged to his best friend as his wife and the mother of his child. Out of respect for Alexis's relationship with Jason as well as his own, he knew he had to do the right thing. "If we didn't both believe he could handle the danger, we wouldn't trust him with the girls. What's really going on? Did you give him a chance to explain?"

"What's to explain?" She wiped at her eyes. "Besides, I know this is the beginning of the end."

"What are you talking about?" He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You just came from your honeymoon."

"It always starts with a pregnancy, Sonny. You. Ric. Sam's father started the pattern. I get pregnant and my relationship with my child's father is doomed. Some relationships end sooner than others."

Sonny felt a pang of guilt as he wondered if Alexis's last statement was a jab at him until he noticed the sadness in her eyes. "Don't you think that's a little superstitious?"

"It's true. Jason's not the only one who has been keeping secrets. I've got a real doozy of one. And if it comes out, it will blow my marriage apart."

"So, you thought you'd do that instead?" He ran the back of his hand against her cheek. His heart warmed as she leaned into his touch.

"You're supposed to be on my side."

"I am always on your side even when we're at each other's throats. What's going on with you, Alexis? I thought I was the self-destructive one."

"I'm scared, Sonny. My marriage wasn't supposed to be real, but now it is. But there are so many forces against us. I think maybe we should just give up now, before we hurt each other."

Being supportive was breaking Sonny's heart. He had no choice. Alexis married Jason and was carrying his child. She would always be off-limits, now. Even still, he ached to tell her, "Leave Jason and come be with me." It wouldn't be right. Alexis, through some kind of divine payback was in love with his best friend. "Go home, Alexis. Go home, throw all your cards on the table and see if you can work it out. You owe it to yourself, to Jason and to the kids."

He watched as the tears streamed down her cheeks. She nodded her head in quiet agreement. The two sat in silence for nearly a full minute until they were interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Jasper Jacks. He'd almost forgotten he scheduled a meeting with Jax to gather more information on Jerry. Jax immediately flew to his friend's side. "Alexis, are you okay?"

She simply nodded and whimpered, "I've got to go home."

Alexis moved to leave, but suddenly stopped in her tracks. She turned and embraced Sonny tightly. He rubbed her back and whispered, "It will be okay." As she crossed the hall, he noticed Jax watched her as carefully as he had himself.

Two minutes after he saw Alexis enter her Penthouse, Jax lit into him. "What did you do to her, Corinthos?"

"Nothing. Would you stop it with the knight-in-shining-armor routine, Candyboy?"

"Why did you ask me to come here? And why did you want me to bring old and new pictures of Jerry? Have you heard something?"

"About Jerry? No. I'm just curious about something."

Jax frowned. "Tell me he doesn't have plans to go against Jason to get even for him stealing Alexis from him?"

Sonny saw the worry lines cross Jax's face. For many years, Sonny had seen the toll that worrying about Jerry had taken on Jax. And even though his brother had shown up with a different face and a slightly different accent, Jax had fallen into old patterns. Suddenly, he was very grateful that he and Ric hadn't been raised together. For if they had been, Ric would have caused him even more pain and he might have made the same mistake as Jax and loved his brother.

"No, I just want to make sure that nothing Jerry did this time around is going to come back on Alexis." Sonny knew James Craig, or whoever he was, currently swam with the fishes. Still, he couldn't afford to give Jax false hope the brother he loved was alive and wasn't some kind of monster.

"Fair enough." Jax sighed. "Sonny, you do realize that Alexis is married to Jason, don't you? Because I certainly hope you haven't decided you want Alexis now. She doesn't need to be in the middle of a mob war between you and Jason."

"What are you talking about, Jax?"

"I was there, you know, when you and Alexis were whatever you were. I saw how she could get through to you when no one else could. No matter how many times you tell people how she was just a one night stand; I saw how deeply you cared for her."

"Do you have a point?" Sonny felt the need to cover.

"The point is: you want what you can have, Corinthos. At least, until you actually get it. You did it with Brenda. You did it with Carly. I won't all you to do it with Alexis. I don't like Morgan or what he does, but for the first time since her involvement with you, she's happy. Don't ruin it."

Sonny would have been angry, if he hadn't known at least part of what Jax had said was true. He sighed. "Look Jax, Jason and Alexis have only been married for a few months."

"Seven."

"And now that Ric is the DA, they don't need any of Jerry's garbage giving Ric a reason to come after them."

"Fair enough." Jax handed Sonny a packet of photos. "But trust me; relationships survive better when you're not in the middle of them. Don't think about yourself this time. Think about the kids: yours, Alexis's and Jason's. They're a family, now."

"Let it be, Candyboy. I'm just trying to help them out." Before Sonny could respond further, his two favorite cherubs ran out of the kitchen and into the arms of their Uncle Jax. As Kristina and Molly laughed and flirted with Jax in a way only little girls could; Sonny thought about Jax's words. He knew Jax was right. The girls had never been happier. And so, quietly, he vowed he'd never come between the family Alexis and Jason created.


	12. Chapter 12

_**As you guys can see, I suck at deadlines. Anyhow, this one is just a little angsty. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy replies. ;)**_

**Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 12**

Alexis's hands shook as she turned the doorknob of her Penthouse. Once inside, she noticed it was eerily quiet. Though she hated to admit it, she was glad. Because of the pregnancy, she was exhausted and in no mood to go Round two with Jason. Still, the silence made her feel lonely. A glance toward the staircase made her wish desperately that she could see Kristina, the sister she lost too soon, flying down them in her typical frantic state.

She dropped her suitcase at the door before she sank onto the sofa. She let out a sigh. Beside her, she felt a soft thud. Soon, she heard a loud rumbling purr. "Hey, Tiger." His name was enough of an invitation to her lap. As she stroked the cat's head, he squinted in enjoyment. "At least I can make some man happy." She noticed Tiger's eyes seemed to be focused on something in the distance. It was then she noticed the hole in the wall. "What in the world?"

Gently, she moved Tiger from her lap then moved to the wall. Just as she moved to touch the hole, a knock on the door startled her. In the process, she jammed a splinter into her finger. "Dmn it," she cursed as she answered the door.

"Well, I'm happy to see you, too," Diane snarked. Max just stood behind her meekly waiting for whatever to pass. Sometimes, she wondered if Max would be better suited as a part-time nanny than as a bodyguard.

"I'm sorry. Come in." She noticed Max carried a small piece of dry wall and supplies to fix the wall.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Splinter."

Diane followed her back to the sofa and immediately began digging in her purse for a pair of tweezers. "So, Max gets a call about a mysterious hole in the wall. And he informed me that your typically pleasant husband was a bit on the angry side. Then you open the door in a foul mood. What's going on?"

"Jason and I had a fight. I came home to work it out and he was gone."

"A fight was bound to happen. How long did you think the two of you could keep going at like a couple of oversexed teenagers?" Diane began pulling at the splinter.

"Forever would have been nice."

Diane glanced near the door where Alexis had dropped her suitcase. "Well, you're not going to give up are you? I haven't seen you this happy, since…" Resting a finger on her lip, Diane "thought" about it dramatically. "Actually, since I've known you."

"Calm down. Sonny already gave me the pep talk."

"Sonny?"

"Yeah, he was great. Besides, leaving was really just a fleeting thought; not to mention my hormones are totally out of whack."

Diane leaned forward and whispered to keep Max from hearing. "Tell me about it. The hot flashes are the worst."

Alexis laughed out loud. "Not those hormones. Diane, I'm pregnant."

"What!!! Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm only about 6 weeks along, but in a few months, I'll give birth to baby number four. Who would have thought it?"

Diane smirked, "Anyone who saw the way the two of you constantly go at it. Have you told anyone?"

"Only Sonny."

"There's that name again." Diane leaned back on the sofa and kicked a Manolo up on the coffee table. "Sonny."

"Diane, Sonny is: my friend, Kristina's father, and thanks to Jason my employer."

"Actually, you forgot: your neighbor, Molly's uncle, your confidante…"

Alexis crossed her arms in front of her. "Stop making a mountain out of a molehill."

"Alexis, you once left the hospital to defend this man at the police station and you nearly passed out in the process."

"That was a long time ago. I love my husband very much; even though I am furious with him right now."

Diane threw her other stillettoed foot on the table. "A baby. Wow. It looks like we won't be fighting over the same outfit for a nice long while." She laughed heartily.

"You witch!" Alexis laughed out loud. Diane may have been her friend, but she could be totally cut throat.

"Speaking of fighting, what were the two of you fighting about?"

"Claudia. Jason insists on staying connected to Claudia Zacchara."

Diane leaned close to her ear and whispered. "Well, if I were you, I really wouldn't look at these contracts when I leave."

"Why?"

"If I told you, I would be a violating attorney-client privilege, wouldn't I?"

Diane had been gone nearly four and a half minutes before Alexis took a peak at the contracts. What she saw horrified her. Jason was becoming a silent partner in Claudia Zacchara's business, which apparently was a jewelry company. She slammed the contract on the desk and flopped on the sofa.

In her mind, she wondered, "How Jason could continue to plan on partnering in a legitimate business with Claudia, even after she'd walked out?" Did that mean he didn't care whether she stayed or went? She sank into the sofa where she remained until Jason came home.

"Hey." She heard his voice, typically strong, yet gentle. She looked up to see him. As usual he wore blue jeans, a dark sweater and his leather jacket. He closed the door, threw his jacket on the arm of a nearby chair, then he moved toward the sofa. "I wasn't sure you'd be here when I got home."

"I'm not sure why I am." There were times when they seemed so natural together. Then there were times like now when the danger surrounding him seemed almost palpable. It was at these times she wondered why she hadn't kept her distance.

"Let's talk." Jason joined her on the sofa. With a deep breath, he began, "Alexis, I'm sorry. I didn't tell you about the hit because I didn't want you to worry."

She flinched as he moved to touch her. "Don't pretend you care what I think, Jason." She lifted the file from the table and handed it to him. "Diane dropped off the contracts for you and your soon-to-be business partner."

Jason took the file from her and placed it back on the table. His cool blue eyes fixed themselves on her eyes, which were beginning to fill with water. He remained silent, which irked her beyond belief in situations like these.

"I can't believe you weren't going to tell me."

"You asked me to keep the business away from you. What was I supposed to do? Claudia saved my life the night of the accident. That's when she told me there was a hit. If it weren't for Claudia, I might not be alive."

"Don't tell me you actually trust that woman." She leaned forward moving closer to him in the process. "You have no idea what she's capable of. Before you get into business with her, you should know…" She hesitated, knowing the damage her knowledge of this bombshell would do.

"What?"

Knotting her fingers together, kept her focused until she looked up. She bit her lip until she finally blurted, "I overheard Claudia and Jerry talking. She helped plan the hit on Sonny. She's partly responsible for what happened to Michael."

"How long have you known?" Jason's body stiffened and his voice became eerily calm. Suddenly, she knew the Jason that men faced just before they met their Maker. When she didn't reply he shouted. "How long?"

"Since the day Jerry tried to kill me." The day her world had been turned upside down; the same day that her fate had become intertwined with his.

"And you didn't tell me? You didn't think I needed to know this? Didn't you think this would affect me? You know what I do for a living." His voice remained loud.

"What you do for a living?" Now, she was the one to yell. "Jason, you kill people for a living. That's what you do. It's what you did in front of me that night. What was I supposed to do? Tell you so you could kill Claudia, too?"

Jason began to pace. "You are unbelievable. You act like you're above all the violence, but you are drawn to it. First you're with Sonny, then Jerry and now me. You get off on the danger, but you pretend to hate it so you can use your God complex to control everyone around you."

Her mouth fell open in disbelief. She looked at the way his jaw tensed and was shocked to see he actually believed what he was saying. "My God complex?"

"Alexis, you think you can control everyone and everything. When people don't fall into line with what you want, you punish them. You did it with Sam and you're doing it with me now."

Her voice softened. "So, it all goes back to Sam? You want to be with Sam go be with her. I'll be just fine raising this baby on my own."

She felt his hands grab her forearms. Though his grasp was strong, he didn't hurt her. After staring at her for a moment, he spoke more softly. "Don't do that."

"Don't do what?"

"Don't try to make to turn me into Ric because we're having an argument." She watched as Jason exhaled deeply, then he ran his hands over his face. It was one of the things he did that reminded her that he was once Sonny's protégé. "This fight has nothing to do with Sam. I married you."

"To keep me from testifying."

"Did I get bonus points if I got you pregnant?"

"Sarcasm. Nice." Truth of the matter was, if she hadn't been furious, she would have chuckled.

"Fine, you want honesty? I should have told you about the hit. You should have told me about Claudia. You're mad at me and I'm angrier at you than I can remember being at anyone in a long time. But I love you and we'll get past this."

That evening they moved about the Penthouse without saying much or touching much, both of which were unusual. Jason left to go to the coffee warehouse about 9 p.m. and she used the opportunity to fall asleep in the spare bedroom without an argument about where she was sleeping. Not that she'd slept much that night; she'd grown used to having Jason's body beside her. The next morning, she rose early showered and headed across the hall "to work." Work began by repeatedly lifting forkfuls of Sonny's infamous omelets into her mouth. Then she listened to her daughters' tales of the slumber party with Sonny.

"Eyeshadow?"

"It was Kristina's play eye shadow."

"You let them put it on you?" She couldn't stop laughing.

"Not a word to Jason."

And with Sonny's words, she changed the subject. Being the good friend she knew him to be, he dropped it. Around lunchtime, Viola came by and picked up the girls. She was thrilled when Sonny told her that his newest employee, Paulo, would be cleared to enter the country within the month. After Viola left, curiosity got the best of Alexis.

"Why did you agree to hire Paulo without meeting him?"

"Jason told me how he and Viola were together. True love always wins out in the end. So, I figured I should give it a boost."

She and Sonny went over the contracts for the rum factory for the rest of the afternoon. As they did, they slipped into a bit of reminiscing about Puerto Rico: the weather; Ernesto, the union's attorney; and the beaches. They were careful to avoid any discussion of anything that might be eve the slightest bit inappropriate. The day would have been perfect, if she hadn't known the elephant in the room would be there when she got home.

With a sigh, she entered her Penthouse. She noticed a single calla lily on the desk with a note that read, "Turn on the radio at 6 p.m." With five minutes to spare, she turned the radio on. To her surprise, she heard the voice of a radio host that advised the lovelorn. "Caller, what brings you in tonight?"

"I had a fight with my wife. We said some things that hurt each other's feelings. I figured if I called in, I could actually get a word in without it turning into a fight."

"Jason?" Alexis asked the radio, though she knew it couldn't reply.

The radio host continued on. "And now you want her to know you're sorry?"

"I want her to know that although we have some things we need to work out, I love her. Actually, it's more than that. I've loved other people, but I ache for her."

"Wow. She sounds like a lucky lady." The radio host said, almost to herself. "Caller, do you care to give me your name?"

"Trust me, she knows who I am."

The host chuckled. "Well, this one goes out from the mystery man to his lady love. It's Ne-Yo with mad."

As the music played, Alexis listened to the lyrics. Soon, the tears fell from her eyes. When the song ended, she looked up and saw Jason standing in front of her.

He knelt before her. "Alexis, I'm willing to try if you are, but I need to know where we go from here."

With a deep breath and a sly smile, she said simply, "Upstairs."

_Mad_ _– Music and lyrics by NeYo _

_.com/watch?v=91gnhhDqtIo_

_She's staring at me I'm sitting wondering what she's thinking,_

_Nobody's talking, 'cause talking just turns into screaming, _

_Ohh, and now as I'm yellin' over her, she's yellin' over me, _

_All that that means, is neither of us is listening, _

_And what's even worse is that we don't even remember why we're fighting._

_So both of us are mad for, nothing_

_Fighting for, nothing_

_Crying for, nothing _

_But we won't let it go for, nothing_

_No, not for, nothing_

_There should be, nothing_

_To a love like what we got, oh baby_

_I know sometimes It's gonna rain,_

_But baby can we make up now cause I can't sleep through the pain. _

_Girl I don't wanna go to bed, mad at you_

_And I don't want you to go to bed, mad at me_

_No, I don't wanna go to bed, mad at you_

_And I don't want you to go to bed, mad at me (oh no, no, no)._

_And it gets me upset girl when you're constantly accusing, _

_Asking questions like you already know_

_We're fighting this war, baby both of us are losing_

_This ain't the way that love is supposed to go_

_What happened to workin' it out?_

_We fall into this place where_

_You ain't backin' down _

_And i ain't backin' down_

_So what the he!! do we do now?_

_It's all for, nothing_

_Fighting for, nothing_

_Crying for, nothing (woah)_

_But we wont let it go for, nothing_

_No not for, nothing_

_There should be, nothing_

_To a love like what we got, oh baby_

_I know sometimes it's gonna rain,_

_But baby can we make up now cause i can't sleep through the pain. _

_Girl I don't wanna go to bed, mad at you_

_And I don't want you to go to bed, mad at me_

_No I don't wanna go to bed, mad at you_

_And I don't want you to go to bed, mad at me (oh no, no, no)._

_Oh baby, this love ain't gonna be perfect_

_And just how good its gonna be_

_We can fuss and we can fight_

_Long as everything's all right between us_

_Before we go to sleep_

_Baby we're gonna be..._

_ohhhhh_

_I know sometimes it's gonna rain,_

_ut baby can we make up now cause I can't sleep through the pain. _

_Girl I don't wanna go to bed, mad at you_

_and i don't want you to go to bed, mad at me_

_No I don't wanna go to bed, mad at you_

_And I don't want you to go to bed, mad at me (oh no, no, no)._


	13. Chapter 13

_Hi all, so sorry about the delay with this one. I felt the story was dragging a little and I needed to get it to a place where it could move. I hope you're still reading and I hope you like it. _

_By the way, at the beginning of this chapter, I'm sort of channeling Alexis from2000. She was always going at it with Ned. And I have to believe that if Ned turned her on, Jason would do so doubly. So, without further ado; here's the next chapter. _

Jason tried hard to remember the speech he prepared on his drive home from the warehouse. He intended to tell Alexis that he loved her, to assure her that he always would and he didn't want anyone else. Unfortunately, his thoughts were leaving his brain at an alarming pace, due in large part to the assault Alexis was making on his abdomen.

They'd barely made it to their bedroom before Alexis had him out of his sweater and his t-shirt. Now, in between kisses, she smiled and said, "I can't believe you said, 'you ached for me.' No one has ever ached for me. I mean, I've been called a pain before, but this is all so new."

He laughed; still unable to believe a woman could be so skilled at foreplay while managing to talk a mile a minute. The problem was they weren't talking about what they needed to talk about: Claudia, the hit on him, Michael's accident, Sam, etc.

She pushed him backward toward the bed and began working on his pants. He knew he had to stop her now or he wouldn't be able to formulate a sentence for at least another hour. "Alexis, we need to talk."

"So talk." She pulled the belt from his pants.

"I'm a little distracted." As he sat up, he marveled at the level of concentration displayed her face as she worked on the top button of his jeans. He lifted her chin with his hand so she would meet his eyes. "I want you to know I didn't say those things just so I could get you back in bed."

"Gee, that's a relief." She deadpanned causing him to let out a laugh. She kissed his neck. "I'll be right back. Nature calls." She hopped up from the bed and made her way toward their bathroom.

"I meant what I said." He called out toward the bathroom.

"Um-hmm," she called back. "You usually do."

Suddenly, he found himself feeling increasingly frustrated. Words were her friend, not his. Typically, she used too many. Now, when he needed to speak, Alexis didn't want to listen. He called out, "When we argued, you told me to go back to Sam. Alexis, I don't want to be with Sam or Elizabeth or anybody else. I love you," he paused before he added, "I always will."

"That's a relief," Alexis called out before she appeared wearing a sheer teddy that left very little imagination. "I'd hate to think I went through all this trouble for nothing."

He managed to utter only one word, "Damn."

She climbed onto his lap, straddling him in the process. Pressing her lips to his neck, she purred, "You still want to talk?"

He traced the tender skin that was outlined by bodice of her teddy. "You don't play fair."

"No one ever said I did. That's why I'm a lawyer," she said, before he felt her tongue against his neck. At the same time, he felt her nails skim his back. As always, she smelled amazing. It was too much for him to take. He moved his hands up beneath the soft silk of her lingerie.

She released a soft moan. "I thought you wanted to talk."

He smiled. "Words are overrated," he said, then captured her mouth in an intense kiss before turning her onto her back.

Later that evening, as he watched Alexis sleep, he wondered how it happened that he had everything he wanted and with Alexis, no less. His territory was stable, he was in love with his wife and he had a son, two beautiful stepdaughters...technically three stepdaughters and a baby on the way. As an added bonus his wife made him the envy of the other bosses. Because it appeared she'd stopped being the DA to be with him, the heads of the other families thought he was the man. They also thought she still had connections within the DA's office. He smiled to himself as he wished she did. He sat on the bed and placed a soft kiss at her shoulder to wake her.

"Hey," her voice graveled as she rubbed her eyes. He could tell the instant she noticed he was fully dressed. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, Sonny and I are taking the girls to dinner." He brushed her hair from her face with his fingertips.

She poked out her lip in a mock pout. "Without me? Why?"

"So, they know how a woman should be treated…and never fall for a guy like Ric."

"Touché." She rolled her eyes, and then mussed his hair. "I got it right the third time around, didn't I?"

"Good point." He kissed her then stroked her hair, gently. "We'll be at Kelly's…By the way, Sam called and she's on her way over." Alexis stared at him with a blank expression. He knew she wouldn't be thrilled with the surprise. "I thought you might want to tell her about the baby…since other people know." He placed his hand on the cotton sheet over her belly. He knew she'd be furious that he was blindsiding her, but he also knew the fallout between she and Sam would be worse if Sam heard about the baby from someone else.

She sat up on her elbows. "Jason," she sighed loudly, "I was going to tell Sam when the time was right."

"In the birthing room?" He watched as she managed a slight smile, releasing a dimple in the process. Instinctively, he poked his finger in the space left by her dimple. "Don't you want to give her the present you bought her in Italy?"

"You really think I should do everything at once?"

It always caught him off-guard when Alexis asked his opinion. She did it regularly enough, but it was one of the little things that reminded him they were married. "I think you should do whatever you want, but she'll love it and know how much you were thinking about her."

"Fine, but if she tells me she hates me or makes me feel horribly guilty about being as happy as I am; I'm holding you responsible for cheering me up."

"Deal." He kissed her tenderly on the mouth before heading to Sonny's.

At Kelly's, Kristina and Molly were granted their every wish by the three men they kept wrapped around their pinkies: Jason, Sonny and Mike. Kristina sat next to Grandpa Mike and Molly sat on Sonny's lap…as usual. Jason could tell Mike and Sonny enjoyed the gushy looks they received from women who entered the restaurant. Jason was content to see the smile on his girls' faces. During the meal, he kept finding himself wondering how things were going with Alexis and Sam. Although, their relationship had always been tumultuous, he'd seen enough to know they both loved each other.

"Earth to Jason," Mike teased. He focused on the older man's kind face. Mike smiled and asked, "Where were you just then?"

"Probably thinking about 3 a.m. feedings," Sonny teased.

"You and Alexis?" Mike raised an eyebrow. He nodded, which was enough of an affirmation for Mike. "Congratulations, Jason." The older man extended his hand across the table. Mike began to tease Jason about sleepless nights, poopy diapers and all of the other joys of a new baby. Jason laughed politely, not having the heart to remind them that he'd done it all before with Michael, before he was "Sonny's son."

Perfectly on cue with his thoughts about Michael, Claudia walked into Kelly's. Worse yet, she had none other than Ric Lansing on her arm.

"Well, well, well…would you look what we have here," Ric snarked to Claudia. "Sonny and Jason finally found a way to play Mommy and Daddy without having Alexis in the way."

"Knock it off, Ric," Jason's voice was calm, but firm. He noticed the way Kristina shifted in her chair at Ric's words. Molly clung tightly to Sonny. Sometimes it seemed more like Sonny was her father than Ric. It would have been easier if he was. He, Sonny and Alexis had worked into a comfortable groove with the girls. Ric was a different story.

For the most part, he and Alexis had been able to keep Ric's tantrums to a minimum by making sure either he or Max handled Molly's weekend custody arrangements. Still, there were days like today where they encountered Ric by chance and worse yet, when he was with someone he wanted to impress.

"Hiya Sunshine," he felt Claudia place her hands on his shoulders. "How come you haven't been by to see the site of our new business?" He noticed Sonny's blank expression at the news of his partnership with Claudia. He was sure his former mentor would have some questions for him later. It would be an unwelcome conversation, particularly now that Jason knew Claudia's part in Michael's shooting.

"It's your business…I'm just the silent partner."

Ric began to laugh, "Sounds very much like my marriage to Alexis. She went about her business being in love with my brother and I stayed in our marriage silently hoping she might change her mind…but you should she only has room for one hero in her life and that's…"

Jason cut him off, "Not in front of the girls, Ric." He stood up and discreetly snatched Ric by the arm to another part of the restaurant.

"What?" Ric plastered an innocent look on his face. "I thought you might want to know what's in store for you before Alexis makes it clear that she's only able to truly love Sonny. She'll tell you she loves you, make love to you, let you play daddy to her children. In fact, if you're lucky, she may even give you one of your own…she's very fertile, you know."

Before he could stop himself, Jason had Ric by his throat against the wall. "Not a word about my wife. Do you understand? I'm not Sonny and personally, I think Molly has enough men in her life that love her, so I won't have a problem if you disappear. Do you understand?"

Ric managed to nod above Jason's clinched fingers.

"Now take Claudia and get out of here."

Jason walked calmly back to the table. He swatted at Kristina's ponytail, which caused her to giggle and the he kissed Molly's forehead before he finally sat. A few minutes later, Ric stopped by the table. He said goodbye to the girls before he walked very close to where Jason was sitting.

"This isn't over Jason."

Without moving a muscle Jason whispered, "Count on it."


	14. Chapter 14

_Hi all, in celebration of the Fall TV season, I finally wrote something new. I hope you are still reading. And I hope you enjoy. This one is all Sonny and Alexis with a brief Jason appearance…it sets up the Jason/Alexis angst that's really coming. Hope you enjoy. And as always, replies are appreciated._

**Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 14**

Sonny wasn't a man to panic, at least not intentionally and not often. Still, he didn't like the trend he noticed. Ever since Ric's encounter with him and Jason at Kelly's, he noticed that Ric began to go out of his way to antagonize Jason. It seemed as though he dragged Jason in for questioning at least once per week. Diane even joked that she should have an office at the police station. Ric also picked fights with Alexis, purposely returned Molly late and began to flaunt his affair with Claudia publically.

Much to Sonny's relief, Alexis seemed to be taking it all in stride. At five months pregnant, she was showing and she seemed to be glowing. When she first told him she was pregnant with Jason's baby, Sonny wasn't sure he'd be able to handle it. However, he found that it was a joy to be around her when she was so happy. His only inclination had been to feed and take care of her during the hours she "worked" for him; it never seemed like work because they generally had such an enjoyable time.

One day, while Alexis was handling the negotiations with the union leader of the sugar cane workers, Sonny walked into her apartment and was surprised to find she was nearly as fluent in Spanish as he was...and she knew quite a few bad words.

"Hey, how come you never told me you spoke Spanish?"

Knowing she was busted, she shrugged and said, "You never asked."

"But you've heard me speaking Spanish lots of times and you never said a word. What else are you hiding?"

"I'm an open book." She gave him a dimpled grin.

"Wow, if I didn't know you were a lawyer, I would swear you were a mob boss." He laughed out loud.

"Very funny.

Sonny liked that they could laugh together now. They were friends again. It was something that he'd missed during their war over the years. She was happy and she deserved to be. Both he and his brother had been unkind to her in the past and a small part of him took comfort in knowing that Jason would never hurt her the way he and Ric had. In fact, Jason barely let her move a muscle. Sonny had never seen Jason walk around with such a big smile plastered on his face.

Even Sam was no longer a threat to Alexis's happiness. A month or so ago, something told Sonny to intercept Sam on her way to Alexis and Jason's penthouse.

"_Sam, can I talk to you for a minute?" _

"_Actually, I was on my way to see my mom." _

"_It'll only take a minute." _

_She looked around suspiciously before she followed him into the Penthouse. "So, you wanted to talk to me?"_

"_Yeah, it's about your mother; she's pregnant."_

_Sam looked as if she'd been punched in the gut. She slid herself onto the edge of a nearby chair. "I can't handle this. She's having Jason's baby? I can't go in there and be with her, not now."_

"_You can and you will, Sam. That's why I told you so you can pull it together and give your mother what she needs."_

"_What she needs? She basically stepped into the life I thought I was going to have. And now you want me to smile about it and pretend to be happy? I can't…"_

"_You can do it the same way Alexis did when she found you on the floor with my brother right after she learned she had cancer. Sam, Alexis didn't end up with Jason as some sort of revenge against you. It just happened and she needs your support."_

"_And you're okay with this?"_

"_If Alexis is happy, I'm happy for her."_

"_Right…"_

"_I owe her…and you do, too. That's all I'm saying."_

Apparently, Sam took his speech to heart because when Alexis showed up for work that day she mentioned that she thought Sam took the news pretty well. And now, it seemed that Sam's enthusiasm about the baby had grown with Alexis's belly because every time shestopped by to discuss her upcoming nuptials, she had a little trinket of some sort for her newest sibling.

Alexis wasn't the only one who was happy. He was too. Anna Devane had finally agreed to see where her relationship with him would lead. They'd been on exactly two "dates," so far. But they'd laughed and danced and she'd even let him kiss her, though she made sure it ended there. He felt like he was finally getting to a good place.

Still, he couldn't help but worry about Ric. Although the most he had done was harass Jason, Sonny couldn't help but worry that Ric was a ticking time bomb. He stared out of the window.

"Does Anna know you brood?" Alexis called out from the desk where she was working.

"I don't brood." He smiled at her before walking toward the desk.

"Moving along, does Anna know today is your birthday?"

"Nah, me and birthdays don't get along. It seems my birthdays start off perfect and then all hell breaks loose." He looked at her and remembered one birthday in particular in 2002.

"Well, I'm fairly certain that no one will end up in the lake this time." He watched as she smiled awkwardly then looked away. After a moment or so, she began again. "So, this year, why don't you let me, the girls and Jason treat you and Anna to a wonderful birthday meal at the restaurant of your choice."

"Deal."

He smiled before they shook on it.

Now, three hours later, Sonny found himself on top of the world with the people he loved at Uncle Jack's Steakhouse in the middle of Manhattan. Things were going well, too. Jason and Alexis had only given each other gooey-eyed looks a few times in the last couple of hours. Plus, he had Anna there to hold his hand and remind him he didn't have to be trapped in a prison of loneliness.

His cell phone rang. He smiled as he saw Carly's number flash. It seemed Morgan had remembered his birthday after all. "Hey…"

"Sonny, it's Carly." He noticed how her voice quivered.

"What's going on?"

"It's Michael. It doesn't look good. You need to get here right away."


	15. Chapter 15

_Hi all. So sorry for the four month delay. I hope you're still interested. Just a warning, this one is the saddest of the upcoming chapters. Things will get better for the Morgan and Corinthos clans. I'll be doing my best to wrap this up in the next couple of months._

_Just a reminder. Sonny, Anna, Alexis and Jason were enjoying a night out in Manhattan on Sonny's birthday when they got a call that they needed to get to Michael. _

Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 15

Though Max had broken speed limits in multiple New York counties it was all in vain, by the time Alexis, Jason, Sonny and Anna arrived at the hospital where Michael resided, it was already too late. Although he was still on life support, Michael's brain activity ceased hours before. Michael's parents and Jason finally had to make the decision that no parent should have to make: to terminate life support. Alexis's heart broke as she watched everyone she loved struggle in total agony. Poor Carly was hysterical and ultimately she needed a sedative to calm her. She could tell Jax felt the same sense of helplessness that she felt herself. Jason did his best to be the rock everyone counted on him to be, while Sonny simply appeared to be slipping into some other place.

At nearly 6 a.m., she, Jason and Sonny returned to Harborview Towers. She'd watched Anna try in vain to convince Sonny that he shouldn't be alone, but ultimately, he'd gotten his way and she returned to her home. Back at her Penthouse, the three had the unenviable task of explaining to Kristina that her brother was never coming home. Kristina clung to Sonny in a way that made him understand that he could not shut her out, no matter how much as he might want to retreat to his own world.

Kristina insisted on staying with Sonny. And Molly blissfully unaware of the tragic circumstances surrounding her, insisted on staying with Kristina. Though she was not entirely certain it was the best idea, Alexis agreed to let the girls spend the day with Sonny, which left her and Jason alone. "I'm so sorry, honey," she whispered as she pulled him into a hug.

His words shocked her, "Maybe it's for the best."

She listened quietly.

"Michael had already started handling guns. He shot Kate in the head earlier this year. If he had grown up around me and Sonny, maybe he would have become just like us."

Although Sonny was out of the business, she knew what Jason meant. Though Sonny was out of the business, she could tell he missed the power and the rush of adrenaline that came with his former occupation. Worse yet, Sonny had overindulged Michael, much like he had done with all his children. Left unchecked, Michael would have succumbed to that lifestyle. Even still, she knew Jason would have taken a bullet before he let Michael follow in his footsteps. "You wouldn't have let that happen."

"At least now, he's safe. He won't turn into some kind of monster. And he'll never look at me or Sonny and hate his life because of us." He stared off into the distance.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his torso. "Jason, I know how much you loved Michael. And I know you're trying to make some sense out of this, but sometimes things don't make sense." She noticed the formation of tears in his eyes and she stroked his cheek. "One thing I know," she said as she fought back her own tears, "Michael's life was better because you were in it."

Jason pulled her tightly against his body and kissed the top of her head.

Later that day, they moved about the Penthouse each recalling a fond memory about Michael. She reminded Jason that Kristina couldn't have asked for a better big brother. Soon after learning of her birth, Michael had become immediately protective of her little one. Jason had too many memories to settle on just one.

Jason finally fell asleep on their bed at about 11 p.m. She knew it was purely from exhaustion. Alexis spread the comforter over his body, which he'd curled into a ball. She brushed his hair back with her fingers. It was rare that she thought of the age difference between them, but now as he slept, with all of his defenses destroyed, he reminded her of a boy. Placing a kiss at his temple, she left their room and headed across the hall.

Sonny answered the door with a hollow look in his eyes. He simply stared at her with those big brown eyes that regularly broke her heart.

"Can I come in?"

Leaving the door open, he stepped back into the darkened Penthouse. Without invitation, she entered and closed the door behind her. From the silence, she assumed the girls were sleeping in their rooms. He moved to the bar and took out two glasses. He poured a glass of water for her and a glass for himself. She was pleased to see he wasn't drinking, which meant he was probably still taking his medication. She knew better than to inquire about his current emotional state given that he couldn't be doing well. Even who Jason was generally a rock and he wasn't doing well either. "How's Kristina?"

"Trying to be strong for her old man…but she's talking." Kristina had experienced much trauma in her young life, from her mother's cancer to seeing her sister shoot and kill a man, which shook her enough that she'd stopped speaking for several months. "Plus, Molly can tell she's sad and even though she can't quite understand why, she's glued to her side." He released a breath of air as he joined her on the sofa.

She did her best to read him. Something was off, though she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. He was too calm; maybe he was even in shock. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Can you find the person who did this?" He paused, before he lowered his voice. "Jerry's already dead, so I'll never know who actually pulled the trigger."

Alexis averted her eyes. She knew Claudia was partly responsible, even if she hadn't pulled the trigger. Still, she knew the only thing that would come from the revelation that Claudia was involved was her death and more violence. "Killing the man that killed Michael won't bring Michael back."

"It would bring me some peace."

She touched his face. "You and I both know that's not true." Her eyes steeled on his eyes. Her voice was soft, "What can bring you peace is knowing that you loved Michael as much as a father could love a son. And he adored you. You fought for him and you did your best to keep him safe."

"But I failed. If I hadn't brought Michael to the coffeehouse that day…"

"If you hadn't brought Michael to the coffeehouse…if Jax hadn't wanted his brother in town…if I hadn't given Jerry a reason to stay…then Michael might have been hit by a drunk driver or he might have been stricken with some rare childhood illness. All you can do is your best Sonny. And you tried with Michael. Please don't let this destroy you." Kristina and Molly entered her thoughts. "There are two little girls upstairs that need you in their lives."

As his head came to rest on her shoulder, she was surprised as she watched the tears begin to flow. She slipped her arms around him as she thought of how many times he had been the one to comfort her in sadness. He'd held her after she'd been kidnapped by Helena and Stavros, in the hospital when her sister died and when she'd finally thrown Ric out. He'd been by her side throughout her ordeal with cancer. He'd been her best friend once and somehow, it helped her to help him now. She would stay here until he was able to sleep and then she'd head back home to the man she loved.

Hours later, she was awakened by the sound of the door opening. She wondered when she'd fallen asleep. As a soft light illuminated the room, her eyes adjusted and she soon saw Jason's figure standing near the door. "Hey," her voice scratched. She maneuvered herself from beneath Sonny's sleeping frame. When she was able to stand, she arched her back in an attempt to stretch out the stiff places on her body. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you alone. I thought I'd be home after an hour or so, but I guess I drifted off."

"You don't have to apologize."

The last thing she wanted was for him to get the wrong idea about her relationship with Sonny. "Once he fell asleep, I didn't have the heart to wake him."

Her eyes followed him as he closed the distance between them. "Lex, I'm not upset. I woke up without you and I thought you might be here." With his hands, he smoothed her hair. "I want you to come home now, so you can rest. You've been taking care of everyone else and now we need to take care of you and our baby."

Inwardly, she marveled that he was able to worry for her in the midst of his grief. He was so different from the other men she'd loved, which may have been the reason she could overlook his _occupation_ on most days. Taking a step forward, she felt a sharp jolt in her abdomen. Instinctively, she bent her as bit as her hands rushed to the location of the jolt.

"Lex, are you okay? Is it the baby?"

"Yes," she exhaled deeply before she smiled. "The baby is fine. Apparently, he or she thought Daddy needed to know how much we love him." She moved Jason's hand to the spot where their child had kicked. She'd felt the baby flutter in her stomach for a few weeks now, but the baby had never kicked hard enough for Jason to feel…until now. Soon, his eyes widened as he felt their baby.

"Wow." His eyes focused on her belly. A glimmer of happiness broke through their grief. "I never felt Jake kick. Elizabeth didn't want me to know." He kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"Love you, too."


	16. Chapter 16

_Hi all I know this one has taken forever, but work and real life had seemingly sucked all of my creative juices out of me. Things are about to get bumpy for Jason and Alexis particularly after this chapter, but I hope you'll hang in there with me. _

Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 16

By all accounts, Jason was not a jealous man. He had no reason to be. He was married to the woman he loved and she loved him back. Alexis was one of the most loyal people he knew and he was certain she would never cheat on him. Still, in the month since Michael's death, she'd spent an increasing amount of time with Sonny. Although, she made sure she also spent time with him and the girls, he was beginning to worry that Sonny had begun to rely on her too much. He was also worried that Alexis was spreading herself too thin by trying to care for him, the girls and Sonny. At their last doctor's appointment, the doctor suggested that given Alexis's age and the stress of recent events, she should take it easy.

"Hi honey," Alexis smiled faintly as she entered their Penthouse after an afternoon at Sonny's.

"Hey babe," he kissed her on the cheek and allowed his hand to rest on Baby Morgan. They'd decided not to learn the baby's sex. Both he and Alexis agreed that all of them could use something to anticipate. He rubbed her belly, something she only let him or a handful of people do. "How's Sonny?"

"He's better. It seems like he's going through the motions. I spoke with Anna yesterday and told me she hasn't spoken to Sonny since the funeral. How are you doing, my love?"

"Better now that my wife is home." He kissed her cheek. As usual, her skin was soft as silk and the few seconds of contact reminded him of how much he missed her. They hadn't been together since Michael's death, the longest abstention since their nearly yearlong marriage. He took her in his arms. Though she was beautiful, she looked as though she was exhausted. "You look tired."

"Sometimes I forget what a charmer you are," she smiled faintly.

At that moment, he was reminded pregnancy sometimes brought out a woman's more sensitive nature. He thought he should smooth things over. "You still look beautiful…just beautiful and tired. Why don't you rest until the girls get home?"

"Nice save." He watched as she sank onto the sofa. He sat by her and took in the familiar scent of gardenias and vanilla. She brought her head to his shoulder and they remained there in silence for a long while. Finally, Alexis spoke, "Jason, how are you really?"

"I miss Michael. I know we never had a lot of reason to be hopeful that he would recover, but now it seems so final." Her lips brushed his cheek and brought him immediate comfort. He continued, "I know he's in a better place, but it's hard." After a long pause, he added, "And I miss you."

"Me?" Pushing herself up on her elbows, she stared at him until their eyes locked. "Jason, how can you miss me? I'm right here."

"But you've been with Sonny." He regretted the words as soon as he said them. Sonny was his friend and he was Alexis's friend. Sonny needed Alexis more than he did and their children needed all of their parents to be okay enough to help them through this difficult time. He expected her to remind him that she was just trying to keep things together for them all. He'd done the same for Carly.

"Honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to neglect you." She looked away from him before she asked, "What was I thinking? I knew how much Michael meant to you. If you want me to stop checking on Sonny…"

"I don't." He pushed out a breath. "That's not what I was trying to say. It's just…you've been spending so much time at Sonny's…and the rest of the time that's left over is for the girls. You barely have anything left over for you or for us. I need you to take care of yourself and the baby because I can't lose either of you."

"I'm not going anywhere." She placed a tender kiss on his mouth.

"Promise me you'll get some rest."

"Promise." She formed two fingers into a "V" and held them in the air before she proclaimed, "Scout's honor." After a deep breath she pushed herself forward. "In fact, I'm going to go upstairs now."

Jason stood and extended his hand to help Alexis from the sofa. Unfortunately, her cellular phone rang before she could stand. "Alexis Davis," he heard her answer the same way she had during the eleven years he'd known her. "Alexis…" he sighed. As he reached for the phone she swatted his hand away.

"Buenos tardes, Ernesto…Si, uno momento por favor. Los contratos estan en la casa del Senor Corinthos." She placed her hand over the phone receiver and whispered, "Jason, I have to go to Sonny's for just a minute."

"You promised me you were going to get some rest."

Rising to her feet, she made her way to the door. "I will as soon as I handle the labor contracts for Sonny's sugar cane plant. We're so close to reaching an agreement and Sonny doesn't need something else to worry about right now." Just before she opened the door, she paused and added, "I promise I'll be home soon and I'll rest." The door closed behind her.

An hour passed and Alexis hadn't returned. The girls returned home. After giving them dinner, he helped Kristina with her homework and read Molly a story. By the time he tucked them in, he realized more than three hours had passed. He decided against going to Sonny's and telling Alexis to come home after he considered that he might not want to open the door which allowed he and Alexis to interfere with each other's work. Still, this was Sonny and his best friend had been known to act on his own selfish desires.

There was a knock at the door. It was Sonny. He didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he walked into _his_ home without knocking. Sonny looked better than the last time he saw him. He still wore his trademark silk shirt and dress pants, but unlike their last visit, he was clean-shaven and his hair was neatly slicked back. Jason thought to himself that Sonny was very lucky to have _his _wife to take care of him. He also found it a bit odd that Sonny kept his eyes averted. "Jase, I need you to get to the Metro Court right away."

"Where's Alexis?" Jason asked without hesitating. While it was true Jason previously took orders without question, things had changed. Sonny had practically been holding Alexis hostage. And now without releasing her, he was sending Jason off on some random errand.

"She's finishing a project. I came to keep the girls company until she gets home."

"They're already sleeping."

"I'll tuck them in."

"I already did that." Jason snapped. It was bad enough that Sonny had totally annihilated Alexis's routine; he didn't need him to destroy the girls' routine as well.

"O.K., I'll do it again." Sonny eyed him in a suspicious manner. "Jase, do we have a problem?"

"Yeah Sonny we do. I know you've had a hard time after losing Michael, we all have. But Alexis is _my_ wife and she's pregnant. She needs her rest and she needs to spend time with her family."

Sonny's face expressed an emotion that Jason could only interpret as a cross between amusement and smugness. "Do I need to remind you that those girls are my family, too? I know I've been having a hard time of things lately, but right now, I need you to trust that I want what's best for the girls, too."

"How Sonny? Alexis was exhausted when she was home and that was three hours ago."

"That sounds like something you need to take up with Alexis, after you get done doing what I asked you to do."

Jason snatched his jacket from the hook where it hung in the hallway and slammed the door behind him. As he drove to the Metro Court, images of Sonny playing house with his family flashed through his mind. He reminded himself that Alexis was not Carly. To his knowledge, she'd never cheated on anyone. Even still this was Sonny. The two of them shared a history and a daughter. It was now more than ever that he wished he had his bike. When he could ride, destructive thoughts like these usually floated from his mind into the blowing wind.

He arrived at the Metro Court to find only an elderly couple seated in a booth in a corner. He'd been so irritated with Sonny earlier that he'd forgotten to ask him exactly what he was supposed to do once he arrived. Jason reached into his jacket pocket and grabbed his cell phone. When Sonny failed to pick up, he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that the whole trip to the Metro Court was some elaborate set up for Sonny to get Alexis alone.

"Jase?" Carly's voice interrupted his thoughts. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I wish I knew."

Carly grabbed his hand. "I'm so glad you're here. I've wanted to say thank you for checking on me every day and letting me cry on your shoulder."

"How are you?"

"Today, I'm able to put on a brave face for Morgan and Jax; tomorrow, I'll still be devastated."

He hugged her once more. Then he remembered that he needed to return home. "Carly, I gotta get back to Alexis and the girls."

"Of course, but can you do me a huge favor, first? We have our best suite booked tonight, but the last person to have the room left something lying around that's too big for me to throw out. Can you please help me do something with it?"

"Carly, I really don't have time…" he began to object, although he knew Carly never let him say know to anything. In fact, he was already following her into an elevator as he was objecting. He watched as she opened the door of the suite. The room was dark, illuminated only by candles and soft music played in the background. "Carly, what do you need me…" he stopped abruptly as he heard the door slam behind him.

"If you want me to stay in this very romantic mood, then that better be the last time I hear _that_ name tonight."

"Alexis?" He nearly fainted at the sight of his very pregnant wife in a black teddy. She lay on the very large bed propped up by pillows, with a rose in her mouth.

She removed the rose carefully from her teeth before she giggled and said, "Happy Anniversary, Baby!"

He couldn't help laughing himself. "What are you doing here?"

"You were expecting someone else?" she teased. She crossed her arms over her belly and pretended to be angry. "And why were you following _that_ woman into a darkened hotel room?"

"I was the victim of your elaborate plan." He climbed on the bed beside her. "Wow, you and Carly were actually partners in crime. I think the world is about to come to an end."

"Who else would know where to find maternity lingerie? And what did I tell you about mentioning _her_ name?"

Alexis and Carly enjoyed pretending that they hated each other, though most everyone knew they didn't. While it was true that they would never be best friends, this was proof that they actually had a soft spot for each other. Jason picked up the rose that now lay on the bed. "What's with the rose?"

"Well, you loved that damn Eddie's Angel picture so much I thought I'd recreate the image for you. With one major exception, of course." She pointed at her tummy.

He kissed her tenderly on the mouth before he released a sigh and fell back onto the pillow.

"That's an underwhelming reaction. My powers of seduction must really be wearing off."

"I'm guessing Sonny was in on this too?"

"Yes…Carly overheard me trying to book this suite for our anniversary and she decided it should be a surprise. Of course, she told Sonny and he wanted to help. They both said, they were tired of feeling nothing but sadness. So, Carly set up the room and Sonny covered for me while I came over here…and rested. And he got you over here."

Jason smiled and shook his head in disbelief. "I just got into with Sonny about how he was asking too much of you."

"Jason Morgan! How could you? I'm sure Sonny asks more of you…regularly. Besides I thought we agreed to stay out of each other's business affairs. What happened?"

He dropped his head. "I don't know. I guess I got jealous."

"Jealous? That's not like you." Alexis stroked his cheek.

"I know, but Alexis, it's been a month…and it's never been a month before."

"I was trying to put you first. I wanted to give you space to grieve. I know you're private; I am too. I was trying to give you what you needed."

"What I need is to be with the woman I love."

"Good answer." Alexis slid onto Jason's lap. As she slid his jacket from his arms, she whispered, "I love you."

After he chastised himself mentally, he replied, "I love you, too."


	17. Chapter 17

_Hi all. I promise you that I knew the end of this particular chapter prior to the current GH storyline aired. (I outlined it about a year and a half ago.) Still, I apologize that my writing delinquency may have made the story seem a little redundant. I promise there will still be some surprises. And Baby Morgan arrives next chapter._

_By the way, this one is mostly Sexis. As a Sexis fan, I think I wrote it because I haven't liked their scenes lately. (They seem to not have much feeling toward one another.) Hope you enjoy._

Stronger Than Pride –Chapter 17

Sonny loosened his tie before he headed to the minibar. Though Lucky and Sam's wedding had been a joyous event for most, he'd left feeling a bit melancholy. Although, it had only been six weeks since they lost Michael, today it was something more. Today had been the celebration of coupledom. Lucky and Sam looked very happy as did Tracy and Luke, Carly and Jax, and if he was judging correctly, he thought he saw something brewing between Nikolas and Elizabeth. The hardest couple for him to watch was Jason and Alexis. For years, he'd convinced himself that things would have never worked between he and Alexis because of the dangers associated with his world. But the fact that they'd made it work for more than a year now, made him question everything he'd believed to be true.

Alexis had invaded his thoughts more and more over the last months: first, with them working together and again after the way she'd taken care of him since Michael's death. He was as much in love with her as he'd ever been. And he hated it. Nothing good could come from his feelings. Jason was his best friend and he treated Alexis the way she'd deserved to be treated all of these years. Still, when she was around his mind went places he knew it shouldn't.

The knock on the door startled him, but the sight on the other side made his heart burst. Alexis, Kristina and Molly, his three girls as he liked to think of them, were still dressed in their wedding garb. "Papa!" both girls exclaimed.

"_Molly_," Alexis chastened, albeit gently. "We talked about this. What are you supposed to call him?"

"Un-ca Sonny," she spat out with a pout.

"Come here, button." He swooped her into his arms and hoisted her in the air. Her giggles exploded throughout the Penthouse. "You know, Alexis, she only wants to call me "Papa" because Kristina does."

"I know, but if she's not careful, she's going to make her D-A-D-D-Y, want to put her Uncle Sonny away."

Kristina latched on to Alexis's sentence before the words cleared her mouth. "Mama, where does Uncle Ric want to put Daddy?"

Alexis threw her hands in the air. "I can't win!"

Sonny burst into laughter. "Come here, Princess Spelling Bee." The impromptu nickname made Kristina giggle. He pulled her closer to him and noticed a small box in her hand. "Whatcha got there, girl?"

Kristina burst into a huge smile, "Cake. You left Sam's wedding before they cut the cake. So, I brought you some in this box."

"Thank you. Let's eat it together, later. In fact, why don't you walk real carefully and put it on the counter in the kitchen."

"Okay, papa." Kristina held the box so still as she took each step.

He noticed that Alexis had been watching him and the girls with a smile. "What are you smiling at?"

"Sonny Corinthos being the father he always said he wanted to be." She continued to smile at him, before she added, "I'm going to miss this."

"Me too."

_This_ was the new elephant in the room. Sticking with the tradition of giving paper presents for first anniversary gifts, Jason gave Alexis blueprints for a new home for their family. She'd given him the title to a brand new Harley, though she made him promise he wouldn't ride it until after the baby was born. They'd both talked to him excitedly about the gifts they received. The contractors broke ground as soon as Alexis approved the plans for the house. And because Jason was the head of the organization, Sonny had no doubt that it was only a matter of time before his girls lived somewhere else.

"Where's Jason?" He placed Molly on the sofa beside her.

"Dropping off Jake at Elizabeth's house." Alexis lowered herself to the sofa where he quickly met her back with a pillow. "Poor kid now has two Cassadines for stepmothers, his biological dad is now his step-grandfather and his soon to arrive baby sister or brother will also be his aunt or uncle."

He watched her with amazement. He'd told her once that she had a fascinating mind and it still remained true. "How are you feeling?"

"Pregnant…and old." She tossed her hair from her eyes and then let out a throaty chuckle.

"You look absolutely beautiful." In fact, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was the picture of health; the antithesis of her cancer-ravaged self. It was obvious that she was happier than she'd been in the eleven years he'd known here. Molly became frustrated because she was no longer able to fit on Alexis's lap, which made him laugh. "Come here, baby." He grasped the toddler in his arms. For a second, he pretended they belonged to him, the toddler and her pregnant mother. He knew it was a dangerous game; still, he couldn't help himself. A moment later, his girl ran from the kitchen and demanded to be held in his arms, just like her sister. At seven, he was still able to grant her wish. The four of them felt like a family.

"Speaking of beautiful, have you talked to Anna lately?"

He shrugged. After Michael's death, he was unable to continue go through the motions of trying to date someone. Sure, they'd talked on the telephone; they were friends. But something inside him felt it was wrong to expose her to the sadness that now lurked just beneath the surface. "Let's talk about you instead. When's the baby due?"

"Six weeks. And even though I know it will be total chaos when she or he arrives, I can't wait to feel like I weigh less than 900 pounds."

The more he thought about it, the less he wanted to think about her giving birth to his best friend's child. Once more, he changed the subject. "How does it feel to be someone's mother-in-law?"

"I'm just glad Sam's happy. Given my daughter's colorful background, I'm also a little pleasantly surprised that she's married to a cop." Tapping her finger at her cheek, she wondered aloud, "My husband is married to the former D.A. and now, he is stepfather-in-law to a P.C. police detective. I wonder if that aids to or detracts from his standing in "the business."" Whenever Alexis spoke about what Jason did to make a living she used her fingers to make quotes. He could tell she was still bothered by his profession. He watched as she yawned. "Well, that's my queue to head home." She looked from Kristina to Molly. "Who's coming with me and who's staying here?"

Much to his satisfaction, the girls simultaneously chirped, "Staying here."

"Ouch. You guys know how to hurt Mommy's feelings."

"Sorry Mom," Kristina moved to Alexis's side, "Papa cooks better than you and Papo."

"Following the food. You are your mother's daughter." Sonny teased. Pretending to be angry, Alexis shot him a look before she headed out of the door.

Later that evening, he read to the girls, made them a snack and tucked them into bed. They were absolutely perfect. Asleep, they looked like two little angels. As he watched them, he suddenly became grateful for the past few hours during which he felt at peace.

At some point, he fell asleep on the chaise lounge in the girls' room. Later, the sound of banging on the front door awoke him. He took the steps two at a time, in an effort to silence the sound before it woke the girls. He opened the door to find a panicked Max on the other side. "Bos—um, Mr. C. You gotta come next door. Your brother and the police are trying to arrest Jason. And Mrs. M is…"

Sonny cut him off. "What about Alexis?"

"She doesn't look good."

Still dressed from earlier in the day, Sonny slipped on his shoes and yelled to Max, "Stay with the girls." From the door, he saw his brother smugly ordering the officer to place Jason in handcuffs. Jason was resisting, which was completely out of character and could only mean…Alexis. As he approached he could see her doubled over. She appeared to be in pain.

"Ric," Sonny yelled at his brother, "Do you gotta do this now? Alexis is obviously in pain."

"Stay out of it, Sonny. Jason committed a crime and now he has to pay for it." He watched as the officers tightened the handcuffs on Jason.

"His wife, the mother of your daughter, is in pain and you're still doing this? What kind of monster are you?" Ric ignored him and simply continued reading Jason his rights. "Come on, Ric." Sonny yelled.

"I'm taking him. If you're so worried about Alexis, you take care of her. We all know she loves it when you play hero."

"Sonny, get her to the hospital." Jason called out as the cops pulled him out of the door.

As soon as the door closed, he raced to Alexis's side. "Breathe, Alexis." He'd told her that probably 100 times before Kristina was conceived. Despite the pain, his comment evoked a little smile at the corner of her mouth. "I'm going to get you to the hospital and then I'm going to get Jason out of lock-up, okay?" She nodded.

He helped her to the car and sped to the hospital where she was informed her blood pressure had reached dangerously high levels. The doctors warned that they would have to perform an emergency c-section if her blood pressure stayed elevated. Sonny stayed with her until she calmed. He called Diane and asked her to meet Alexis at the hospital. She told him she didn't understand because Jason had asked her to meet him at the P.C.P.D. After he assured her there had been a misunderstanding, she agreed to come to the hospital.

He knew what he had to do next and so, he drove to the P.C.P.D. and demanded he be allowed to speak to Commissioner Scorpio. He also asked that Ric be present. He knew neither Jason nor Alexis would be thrilled with what he was about to do, but it had to be done.

"What is it, Sonny?" Ric exaggerated his irritation.

"Ric, I asked Commissioner Scorpio to be here because I wanted to make sure you did the right thing."

"Oh really?" Ric smiled, smugly. "What is the right thing, Sonny? For the police to release Jason because he's about to be a father? I heard this argument at the Penthouse remember?"

Sonny took a deep breath to brace himself for his next words. "No, Ric. I want you to release Jason because he didn't kill Jerry Jacks. I did."


	18. Chapter 18

Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 28

Alexis knew she needed to calm down. So, she tried to picture the things that gave her joy. She remembered Sam in the Chloe Morgan bridal gown she found on her honeymoon with Jason. It fit her like a glove and she was absolutely beautiful. Lucky's face lit-up like a light bulb when he saw her. Kristina was the most perfect flower girl in the whole world. Five minutes into the reception, Kristina was inconsolable about Sam getting married, until her Papo asked her to dance. She tried to focus on the image of Jason dancing with Kristina, but her mind always morphed the image into that of a jail cell slamming in front of Jason.

The doctors had already told her that an emergency c-section would be necessary. Even still, she needed to calm down. And she'd tried every deep breathing exercise she could think of to get there. In the back of her mind, she could hear Sonny telling her to breathe like he did in the old days. Curiously, her anxiety attacks had ended with the termination of their once close friendship. Somehow, over the last several months she'd seen the return of her best friend and it made her feel whole; and Jason was the only husband on earth who would understand. Now, she was here alone without either of them.

"Hello, earth to Alexis." Diane drew her back from her dazed state. She'd been there since Sonny called hours before. Diane told her that she was unable to reach Sam, who'd probably already left on her honeymoon. "Sweetie, you simply have to calm down. Jason will be fine, Alexis. You know him. He can take care of himself."

She knew Diane was right. Jason could take care of himself. But for how long would he have to? Would he miss out on not only the birth of his child but on most of his or her childhood as well? "Why aren't you at the PCPD with him?"

"Sonny told me he would take care of it."

"Did I miss the part where Sonny started practicing law?" She knew she was irritated and she was taking it out on Diane, but she couldn't help it.

"I will be out of here as soon as either of my clients let me know that I am needed. Until then you are stuck with me." Diane patted her hand.

Monica entered the room wearing a bright smile. "Are you ready to bring my grandchild into the world?"

"Not really?" She bit her lip. "It's too soon."

Monica took her by the hand. "Alexis, you're 34 weeks along. You can deliver with very few risks to the baby." Monica eyed her heart monitor. "In fact, fewer risks than if we play wait and see with your blood pressure. Have you called Jason?"

Alexis felt the tears begin to stream down her cheeks. "I don't think Jason is going to be able to make it."

"What could be so important that Jason would miss the birth of his child?"

"Nothing."

Alexis could barely believe her eyes: Jason was standing in the doorway. It was midnight, and after six hours in lockup, he looked like death warmed over. Still, his unexpected presence was as beautiful to her as an oasis in the midst of a desert. "You're here."

"Yeah, thanks to Sonny."

"Sonny?"

"I'll explain later." He moved to her side and began to stroke her hair. "Are you ready to meet our baby?"

"I am now."

"Jason, you need to get scrubbed." Monica said, before signaling to a couple of orderlies in the hallway.

"I will. I just need a word with Diane."

Alexis tried to hear what Jason and Diane were saying, but their voices were too hushed and the orderlies moved too quickly. What seemed like an eternity, but was only an hour later, Alexis looked on, as Jason held up their 5 pound 4 ounce, mostly bald and covered in birthing goop, bouncing baby boy.

"We have a son. "

She watched as he handed their boy back to her doctor. He was so quiet that she worried something was wrong. Finally, she heard a soft wail that made her heart feel full enough to burst. Soon, they handed their boy to her. She counted his ten fingers and his ten perfect toes. He was absolutely beautiful with his tiny hands balled tightly into fists. She touched the soft skin of his cheeks. "Hi baby, I'm your Mommy. "

Later, that morning she awoke to the sight of Jason cuddling their boy who was wrapped tightly in a soft blanket. Immediately, she began to smile. "What time is it?"

"About 2 a.m. " He walked to her side and handed her their boy.

She fell in love with both of her men all over again. Jason kissed her on her forehead and she patted his cheek. "If someone would have asked me if this was possible, you and me as a couple with a family, I would have told them not a chance."

She couldn't stop smiling.

"Me either." He smiled. For a time, it had seemed more likely that they would be arrested for a bar room brawl. "You feel up to company?"

"We have company at 2 a.m.?"

"Yeah, family can visit beyond visiting hours. Sam and Lucky are outside. Carly and Jax are too. "

"Sam's here?" The revelation nearly brought tears to her eyes. "I thought she'd already left on her honeymoon."

Jason dropped his head and for a moment, she could have sworn he was blushing. "It seems one of them finally checked their messages. They don't leave until tomorrow."

"Wait, did you say Carly is here? How did she get in?"

"She reminded the staff that she was technically your niece."

"By marriage and for like five minutes. Unbelievable. I think that feels worse than the surgery." She sighed with exasperation, although she really wasn't angry. "Where's Sonny?"

Jason's response was silence.

"Jason?"

"Diane wasn't able to get a bail hearing scheduled until this morning."

"What's he doing in jail?"

She watched as Jason pushed out a breath of air. It was something he did before he engaged in any difficult conversation. "Sonny confessed to killing Jerry. It's the reason I was able to be here with you."

"He did what? Jason you can't let him do this. He can't go to prison for something…" The last thing Sonny needed was to be locked in a cell dealing with his own personal demons so soon after Michael's death. He'd managed to keep it together so far, but she was certain there was only so much he could take.

"I know. " Jason cut her off before she could say more. He combed his fingers through her hair, which calmed her. "We'll take care of everything later."

She nodded. Jason didn't make promises he couldn't keep. They would take care of everything later. Now was the time to focus on their boy. She brushed the blonde fuzz atop of the baby's head. "What do you think we come up with a name for this little guy?"

"I know we only talked about names for a girl, but I think I have an idea for a name for a boy."

"Me too. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

Jason kissed her forehead. "Deal."

Now hours later, their baby lay sleeping in the baby warmer next to her bed. She was sure he was exhausted from the attention he'd received from Carly alone. If she'd doubted which of his parents her boy looked like, after witnessing Carly's newfound obsession, she knew it was Jason. In fact, she wouldn't have released him if Sam hadn't pulled rank.

She was alone again. Jason had gone home to shower, change and pick up the girls. It was nearly 10 a.m. and she began to wonder how Sonny was doing and whether he'd been released. A few minutes later, the answer peeked through the door.

"Hey," Sonny's voice was soft.

"Sonny…" She smiled at him. He looked no worse for the wear. It was obvious that he'd gone home and changed. "Diane was able to get you released!"

"Did you doubt she would? She's the second best attorney in Port Charles." He shoved his hands in his pockets as he peered into the baby warmer.

For a moment, she remembered she was furious with him. He'd confessed to a murder he didn't commit, which meant he put Kristina, Molly and Morgan at risk of losing a father or father figure in Molly's case. "What in the world possessed you to confessing to Jerry's murder? Why would you do that?"

"Because I once promised you that this little boy would be born into a family with two parents. Will you trust me if I tell you not to worry? I don't plan on going to prison for the rest of my life…and I fully intend to be a part of my daughter's life."

She'd seen Sonny determined before, so she didn't argue. "Well, I want you to know that I fully intend to help you out of this and I won't take no for answer." She watched as Sonny tilted his head to the side. She could tell he planned to fight her on her involvement in the case against him, but she couldn't care less.

"So, what's the little guy's name?" He picked the baby up and carried him to Alexis.

First, she looked at the baby and then at Sonny. "Jason and I wanted you to always know how much you mean to us. You made sure Jason could be here for his son's birth. So, we agreed that he should be named after you and after the gift you gave us when you confessed."

"His name is Michael?" Sonny frowned a bit.

"No, there will only be one Michael Joseph Morgan…later Corinthos. This little guy's name is Joseph…Joseph Chance Morgan. You gave Jason and me a chance to beat this thing with Jerry and a chance to be with this little one and we'll always appreciate it."

"Hey Joey," Sonny's voice cracked a bit as he peered over the little one. "I'm your Uncle Sonny. You were named after me, which means it's my responsibility to look after you. I promise you I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you grow up with both your mommy and your daddy."

Alexis looked at the little boy's features. He was the spitting image of Jason. Monica had been the first to notice, having used her clout to be with her grandson no more than fifteen minutes after he entered the world. Joey was rapidly becoming one of the great loves of her life. How was it that she'd once considered not having him? Sonny had helped her away from that decision too. Once more, her friend was by her side, helping her through the rough spots.

Jason walked in with their youngest girls in tow. Sam reappeared a few minutes later. As Alexis looked at her family she knew there would be bumps ahead, but she had an unshakeable feeling that someday everything would be okay.


	19. Chapter 19

_Hi! I know I haven't updated this story in six months, but I am still working on it. If you are interested in me continuing, please shoot me a quick reply and let me know (it can be as simple as "yes.") I'm never sure how long people are willing to wait on a next chapter before giving up on a story altogether. _

_Thanks,_

_K _

Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 19

A son. Jason was not prepared for Alexis to have a son. He'd pictured a flaxen-haired little Emily running behind her big sisters. A daughter who wanted to grow up to be just like her mother. Now, he had a son, a boy who would want to emulate him. It would be like Michael all over again. He worried for Joey, more than Jake. Jake had Lucky, a cop, for a stepfather. Lucky's actions balanced out his own misdeeds where Jake was concerned.

"Papo! You read me story!" Molly's voice interrupted his thoughts. At nearly four, Molly had entered the bossy phase of her life. He, Alexis and Kristina were all the recipients of her directions. He suspected part of it was due to her age and the other part was her refusal to let Joey push her out of her role as the baby of the family. "Anything you want, Peanut."

This was their time together. Alexis was feeding Joey and Kristina was with Sam and Lucky, who'd arrived home a week earlier after their two-week honeymoon to Greece. He made sure he had special time with each of their children so they would know they were equally loved and appreciated.

Molly picked out her favorite book, _If You Give A Mouse A Cookie_. And though he'd read it to her at least 25 times in the past, he was more than happy to read it to her again. Two sentences into the story, they were joined on the sofa by Tiger.

About an hour later, he was awakened by a kiss on the forehead. Without opening his eyes, he knew it was from Alexis. He would have known it even if he'd been blindfolded in a room filled with 100 women. It was her scent, the vanilla and gardenia shampoo she used. It was also her soft caress. "Wake up, sleeping beauty."

"I didn't know I drifted off."

"You've been sleeping at least an hour. " She teased the hair at his temples. "The three of you were such a beautiful sight that I wouldn't have awakened you if you hadn't told me to."

"Right, Sonny." After a deep sigh, he remembered he had scheduled a meeting with Sonny that evening. The night after Joey was born, Sonny told him that he had know intention of going to prison, but he would reveal his plan at a later time. He'd suspected Sonny was going to go on the run. Jason would do whatever it took to talk him out of it, but if he insisted, he would help in anyway possible. They decided to table the discussion until Alexis and the baby got acclimated. Yet this morning, Sonny mentioned that they needed to talk sooner rather than later.

He handed Molly to Alexis. "Hopefully this won't take too long."

"Why are you meeting with Sonny?"

He and Sonny both decided to keep Alexis as far away from anything relating to a potential trial as possible. She would want to help and they both wanted to keep her as far away from accusations of Jerry's death as possible. "It's business."

"Business" He couldn't help noticing the way she grimaced. "I hate that word. Why are you talking to Sonny about business? He got out."

"Lex, I thought we agreed not to talk about the business."

Her voice remained low to keep from waking Molly. "We're not talking about your business; we're talking about Sonny's. And as Sonny's attorney…"

"I love you, but we're still not talking about this." He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth before slipping out of the door.

As he entered Sonny's penthouse, he was surprised to find Anna Devane sitting on the sofa with Sonny. "Hi Anna." To his knowledge, what had seemed like a budding romance between Sonny and Anna had fizzled months earlier. Still, he wanted his friend to be happy. "Sonny, I can come back if you want."

"No, Anna is the reason I asked to meet with you. She has some information about Jerry Jacks. " Jason felt his stomach skip. He knew Jerry was dead. He made sure of it when he found him trying to strangle Alexis. Still Sonny spoke as though the man was alive.

"This is off-the-record, of course," Anna added quickly.

He nodded.

"First you should know that the man with whom Sonny is charged with murdering was not Jerry Jacks."

Jason tried to wrap his mind around the new information. "Then who was he?"

"A former WSB Agent named Everett Brighton." Anna gave him the rest of the sordid details. Apparently, Brighton, became a hired gun for a few mob families after his time in the WSB.

Jason took a deep breath before joining Anna on the sofa. Once more his and Sonny's world had victimized Alexis. Still, if it hadn't been for this Brighton creep, he and Alexis would have never found each other and they'd never have their family, particularly not his little boy, Joey. "Why are you telling me this now?"

This time Sonny answered, "Because the real Jerry Jacks is alive. That's why I only confessed to killing Jerry."

He turned to Sonny. "How long have you known?"

"I found out it was a possibility while you and Alexis were in Italy."

"And you didn't tell me?" He was annoyed. Alexis may have found some comfort in knowing that he hadn't killed her best friend's brother.

"The two of you put it behind you. You were excited about the baby." Sonny sighed, "I wouldn't be telling you now if Ric hadn't stopped by this morning and bragged that he was pushing to get the trial moved up. Jase, I need you to get Jerry and bring him back to Port Charles."

"Where is he?" He was barely able to wrap his mind around idea that Jerry was actually alive.

This time, Anna answered. "Some of my friends were able to track a man we believe may be Jerry Jacks to a secret location in South Africa. He's being held by some of Brighton's associates. Apparently, Brighton was holding him as some kind of leverage."

"How do you know he's still alive? Brighton has been gone for over a year. Why didn't they try to get rid of any evidence that tied them to him?"

"Brighton was known to disappear for months on end…and they may have been waiting for further instructions. Sonny's arrest made international news and they may have just recently learned that Brighton is dead. They may still be trying to learn Jerry's identity or they may have already realized that he is the brother of a very wealthy corporate raider. Whatever the matter, it is probably better to act now rather than later."

"When do you want me to leave?" He hated the thought of leaving Alexis, especially only three weeks after Joey's birth. Still, he wouldn't have seen his son's birth if Sonny hadn't confessed. Plus, the girls loved and needed Sonny as much as they needed him.

"Jase, this could be dangerous. You should probably take a day or so to think about it."

"If I bring Jerry back, Ric has nothing to hold over our heads. He can't convict you for killing a man that is alive. So, the sooner we do this the better. I'll leave in the morning. Take care of Alexis and the kids while I'm gone." He left without waiting for a response.

Later that evening, as they lay in bed together, he decided to break the news to Alexis. He knew it was cowardly to tell her as she lay with her back to him, but he already knew he couldn't handle the look that would be in her eyes. "Lex, I'm leaving in the morning."

She turned to face him, all the while remaining in his arms. "Leaving? To go where?"

He couldn't tell her about Jerry. It would be wrong to get her hopes up before he knew for sure that Jerry was alive. "Can you trust me when I tell you that I have to do something that might help Sonny?"

"But you can't tell me where?"

"No."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know."

Her frustration became obvious. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know. It could be a week; it could a couple of weeks. I'm not sure."

"Is this thing that you need to do dangerous?"

He brushed her bangs from her forehead. "I don't want you to worry. "

"You just ensured that I would with that answer." She turned away from him once more.

"Lex, you know I would never leave you if I didn't have to."

"I know. It's just that since we haven't been apart since the day you saved me. I haven't slept without you in a year." From the motion of her hands, he guessed she was wiping away tears that were beginning to fall.

She was making it harder than he hoped. Alexis was the strongest woman he knew. Knowing that he was the cause of her tears felt like a knife to his heart. He whispered into her ear. "You know how much I love you. I'll be home as soon as I can." He smiled to himself. "On a brighter note, when I get home, we'll be that much closer to your six-week check up." The doctor told them that they needed to wait six weeks after Alexis's c-section before they became intimate again.

"I don't want to wait." Her voice was soft. Once more she turned and faced him.

"But the doctor said…" While he wanted her, he didn't want to hurt her. She was rushing things out of her fear that something would happen to him.

"I don't care. I don't want to wait. "

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Jason, I've given birth to four children. I know whether I'm healed or not. I feel fine and I trust that you'll be gentle." She kissed his mouth. "I want to be with you… tonight, Jason." She ran her hands along his chest before moving them lower to his abdomen and then lower still.

Over the last year, his body was conditioned to respond to hers. And so, he made love to her as lovingly and tenderly as possible. As soon as she was asleep, he slipped from their bed, wrote her a note, kissed their sleeping children goodbye and left for South Africa.


	20. Chapter 20

_Hi all, at long last I've updated this story. Thanks again for the beautiful reviews on all my stories. (Special shout out to elle). _

_In this chapter, Sonny provides some angst in Jason and Alexis's marriage. That will continue through the next three chapters, so hang in with me. I hope to finish this one in three more chapters. This chapter is all Sonny and Alexis. I expect Jason back next chapter. I hope you enjoy._

Stronger Than Pride – Chapter 20

When Sonny asked Jason to go find Jerry, he expected the trip to last no longer than a week or so; however, a week had turned to two and two had turned to four. To compensate for Jason's absence, Sonny spent most of his time at Penthouse 2 helping Alexis with Joey and the girls. At least, he blamed Jason's absence for the amount of time he spent with Alexis.

The truth was that he didn't need a reason to spend time as part of Alexis's family, particularly with Jason gone. In Jason's absence, people treated him as though he was Alexis's husband and as though her children were their children. He knew it wasn't a healthy fantasy…and half of Port Charles cautioned him against it. Lectures about getting too close to Alexis had come from Mike, Carly, Diane and surprisingly even Luke. He didn't care. For a man facing murder charges, he felt as though he was on top of the world. Anna flew to London two weeks earlier to be closer to her WSB contacts, which left him with Alexis without distractions.

For the last two weeks, it felt like old times. They'd shared late evening talks over coffee and popcorn. They'd watched movies and fallen asleep together on the sofa. He even let her take him to the Haunted Star once, where they'd danced.

Max opened the door. A smile crossed his face as Alexis and Max entered carrying Joey and a boatload of items to keep him clean, fed and entertained. Sometimes it amazed him that such tiny little creatures needed so much stuff.

"Hi." Within second he had Joey out of Alexis's arms and into his own. A few words of baby talk caused the baby's mouth to open widely in what Sonny was certain was a grin.

"Hi yourself." Alexis began taking arms full of baby stuff from Max and setting up mini play and works stations in his living room.

"I don't know why you insist on hauling the baby and all of this stuff over here when it would be just as easy for Diane and me to work at your place."

She sighed, "I like coming to your place. It gets me out of mine. Everything there reminds me of Jason and how much I miss him."

"And here?"

"Well, here just reminds me of you. " Moving to the window, she pointed. "This is where you brood."

He couldn't help chuckling. "I don't brood."

Next, she moved to the mini-bar. "And this is where you used to throw glassware. It's also where you pretended to get drunk, so you could have fun at my expense.

His mind flashed back to the night she spoke about. _He'd had another miserable night at the hands of his family. He'd stopped by to see her. She was wearing black leather boots and a leather skirt; he thought she looked hot. He wanted to spend the night on her sofa but she told him he needed to sleep at his own place. She even walked him over to ensure he would go._

_Immediately, he poured himself a drink. She stared at him; he could tell she was worried._

"_You hungry?" she'd asked._

_Knowing that she was the worst cook on the planet, her offer made him laugh. "What would you do if I were?"_

"_Order in." Would you like me to warm you some milk?"_

"_You know how to make milk?"_

"_I was hoping you did." She continued to stare as he swallowed another gulp of his drink. " I could sing you a lullaby."_

"_You sing?" He'd known her mother was an opera singer and for a second he thought maybe she'd inherited her voice._

"_Like a strangled cat." _

_Her response made him chuckle. "Don't sing."_

_With outrage, she demanded, "What do you want? You want me to put you to bed myself?" Her question surprised him. But he pounced on the opportunity she offered before she could back out. Before the night was over he'd ended up in his boxers in bed telling her about the joys of satin sheets. _

Her voice brought him back to the present. "I still can't believe you harassed me into taking you to your bedroom. You know with the number of employees in your organization, I probably could have sued you for harassment."

He nodded. "You could have, I was trying to seduce you."

A blush covered Alexis's cheeks. "You were trying to embarrass me."

He stared at her. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" She crinkled her nose.

"Minimize what I felt for you then."

"What are you talking about? How many times have I heard you tell people that what we had was just a one night stand?"

"It's easier than the truth." He couldn't believe they were having this conversation now, while her husband, his best friend, was out of the country. This conversation was more dangerous than skating on a freshly frozen lake.

"What truth are you talking about?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he walked to the other side of the room and placed Joey in his bassinette.

"Sonny?" She called out. "What truth?"

He walked to where she stood. "The truth is I was falling in love with you. I'd dreamed about you. You were under my skin. But every time I tried to get close, you ran away. So, I tried to seduce you…and it didn't work."

Alexis opened her mouth to speak but stopped twice. Though it was wrong, he felt emboldened. He took a step closer to her and invaded her personal space. "The truth is if Carly hadn't made me believe she was dead, I would have never gone back to her. And I wish I hadn't. Losing you turned me into a shell of the man I was. I resented you for giving up on us and part of me hated Carly for wanting to be with me. I got self-destructive and I'm sorry for all of the people I hurt."

She took a step back. Confusion was splayed across her face. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because the only thing that used to help me deal with losing you was knowing that you could have never tolerated my lifestyle. But now I see you with Jason and it kills me to know that the only thing that stopped us from being together was me."

She touched his cheek gently. "Sonny, why are you telling me this now."

"Because the trial is set to start tomorrow and I could go to prison for the rest of my life. I wanted you to know that spending these last few weeks with you, the girls and Joey have been the best of my life." Once more he closed the space between them. "Alexis, the truth is, I'm in love with you. I never stopped."

Alexis stared at him with confusion etched in her brow. "I think I should go." As she moved past him, he caught her by the wrist. It had the affect of stopping her in her tracks. Gently, he pulled her closer to him. "Don't run away from me, not this time."

For a minute, he gazed into her chocolate brown eyes. Then he moved his mouth closer to hers. Suddenly, a loud slam of the door jarred them apart.

"Well, well, well, it looks like I showed up to work just in time." Diane sauntered in with her hands on her hips. "Have the two of you lost your minds?"

"Nothing happened." Sonny said before Alexis could speak.

"I should go." She moved to the bassinette and grabbed Joey.

"Alexis wait." Sonny called after her. She paid him no mind. In a flash, she was out of the door.

Diane prevented him from going after her. "Sonny, are you trying to play Russian Roulette here? Jason holds the keys to your freedom. Do you really want him to come home to find you making a move on his wife?"

"It wasn't like that." The truth was he hadn't planned to tell Alexis how he felt, but something felt right about the moment. He now knew it was selfish and self-indulgent.

"I don't care how it is, Sonny. Alexis and their children mean everything to Jason. You can't seriously think he'll let you take her from him. Unless you have a death wish, stay away from Alexis. " Diane picked up her briefcase and stormed out of the door.

In his heart, Sonny knew she was right. He needed to stay away from Alexis. He just prayed he could.


End file.
